Cambridge Battles Early Morning 3-Alarm Fire

At 5:40AM on Saturday April 21st Cambridge Fire struck Box 484 for 77 Trowbridge Street for a reported building fire. With the Cambridge Fire HQ being 3 Blocks away companies arrived on scene within 2 Minutes. Rescue 1 had Heavy Fire showing on arrival from the Third Floor of a 3-Story Wood Frame OMD and requested a 2nd Alarm. Engine 1 quickly charged a Deck gun to knock down the heavy fire. Due to the heavy volume of fire Companies were then ordered out of the building. About 10 Minutes later companies advanced multiple 2.5" lines back into the interior. With fire on the 2nd & 3rd Floors command struck a 3rd Alarm. Companies chased pockets of fire along the ceiling and in the walls on the 2nd & 3rd Floors. The fire was finally knocked down at 6:30AM. There are no reported injuries to civilians or firefighters.

Waltham Firefighters Battle 3-Alarm House Fire

At 7:16PM on Thursday April 19th Waltham Fire received a 911 call for a reported basement fire at 19 Everett Street. Box 256 was struck and Engine 4, Engine 2, Rescue 6 & Ladder 1 along with C-2 responded on the Box. First Due Engine 4 reported smoke & fire showing from the basement extending upwards in a 2-Story Wood Frame Dwelling. C-2 arrived soon after and Deputy Chief Hebert transmitted a Working Fire. Hearing this I grabbed my camera and headed out. Once outside Engine 1 was passing by my house responding as the RIT Team. About 10 Minutes later Deputy Hebert struck a 2nd Alarm. The Second Alarm consisted of C-4, Engine 3, Engine 7 & Ladder 2. I arrived as 2nd Alarm companies were arriving on scene. Companies stretched multiple lines and aggressively attacked the fire from the interior. Companies had dificulty accessing the basement and had to cut a hole on the Charlie Side.  At 8:20PM Deputy Hebert struck a 3rd Alarm. The Third Alarm consisted of Squad 5, Engine 8, Weston Engine 1, Watertown Ladder 1 & Cambridge Ladder 1 as the RIT. At 8:46PM all companies were ordered out of the building and operations went defensive. Firefighters finally brought the fire under control around 10:00PM. Companies would stay on scene several more hours overhauling the building. No injuries to civilians or firefighters has been reported. The fire is under investigation.

Boston Fire Battles Multi-Alarm Blaze in East Boston

At 1:55PM on Sunday April 1st Boston Fire struck Box 6167 for a reported building fire on Chelsea Street. First arriving companies reported heavy fire showing from top floor of a 3 Story Brick Six Family Duplex at #330 Chelsea Street. A 2nd Alarm was quickly struck and a 3rd Alarm was struck on arrival of Chief Dunbar. The fire quickly extended to the B Side exposure 3rd Floor.

2:08PM U/D: Chief Dunbar ordering a 4th Alarm for heavy fire conditions. All companies ordered off the roof.

2:20PM U/D: Partial Collapse of roof. All companies ordered out of the building.

2:44PM U/D: 5th Alarm orders of Chief Dunbar. Heavy Fire in rear extending to Delta Side Exposure.

3:14PM U/D: 6th Alarm orders of Chief Dunbar. Heavy fire breached fire wall now extending to other side of duplex.

3:26PM U/D: 7th Alarm orders of Chief Dunbar. Heavy fire showing from original fire building.

3:50PM U/D: All companies ordered out of Delta Side exposure building.

Saturday Morning Crash Sends Five To Hospital In Waltham

At 10:42AM on Saturday March 24th as I was still waking up my scanner went off reporting a motor vehicle accident with reported injuries at the Intersection of Lowell Street & High Street in Waltham. Being only 4 Blocks away I knew the intersection well and listened to the scanner as a Police Cruiser came flying up the street responding to the scene. The first arriving police officer reported they had a 3 car motor vehicle accident with injuries but unknown how many. Squad 5 arrived on scene after and then AMR Ambulance 1. The AMR unit requested more Units for multiple injuries. Hearing this I grabbed my camera and took the walk to the scene. Once on scene C-2 (Deputy Chief) was arriving as well as AMR Medic 1. I observed medics and firefighters working to package two small children. Another AMR unit was requested and AMR Medic 4 responded. A Adult female was being packaged for transport. The Deputy soon requested another BLS unit to the scene for an Adult Male and AMR Ambulance 2 responded. Total 4 Victims (Two Children, Adult Male & Elderly Female) was transported to Newton-Wellesley Hospital. Also an Adult Female was transported to Emerson Hospital in Concord. The crash is under investigation by the Waltham Police Department.

Boston Firefighters Battle 4 Alarm Warehouse Fire in Roxbury

At 10:11PM on a Mild Wednesday Night Boston Fire struck Box 1712 for a reported building fire on Norfolk Avenue in Roxbury. Multiple calls were being received by fire alarm reporting the fire. Engine 14 arrived soon after and advised they had heavy fire showing from the upper floors of the 40x100 Vacant Warehouse building. A 2nd Alarm was transmitted soon after. Ladder 4 found an X on the building and the District Chief ordered all companies out of the building and transmitted a 3rd Alarm. Companies began hitting the fire with deck guns and ladder pipes as heavy fire shot through the roof. C-7 arrived soon after and transmitted a 4th Alarm. Companies at this time have knocked down the fire and are now in the process of overhauling the very large warehouse building. There are reports that a squatter was rescued from the building but that has not been confirmed at this time. The fire is in the same complex as the Massive 9 Alarm blaze in August 2010.

                                         Photo by Twitter user @BostonFire

Manhole Explosion on Main Street Causes Power Surge in Waltham

Just before 11:30AM on Sunday March 18th the power surged and went out at my house and then came right back on. Alarms started ringing into 911 for hold up alarms at 1 Moody Street sounding due to the surge. Seconds later my scanner went off stating the Fire Department was transmitting Box 258 for 1275 Main Street for multiple 911 calls reporting a manhole explosion with fire. C-2, Engine 2, Engine 4, Ladder 1 & Rescue 6 along with police responded.

Engine 4 on arrival called off with light smoke showing from a manhole cover. The Deputy Chief arrived soon after and requested Nstar to respond and police to close Main Street to traffic. Engine 4 stretched a 1 3/4" line off the pumper and filled the manhole with water to cool the transformer. Dispatch advised OIC they were now getting calls for a possible problem at the Nstar power substation across the street. Companies were sent over and investigated and found nothing wrong.

An Nstar repair crew arrived just after noon and the fire department cleared soon after that.

Pedestrian Struck & Killed By Pickup Truck in Waltham

At 3:23PM on Friday March 16th 911 calls were received for a Pedestrian struck by a motor vehicle on Beaver Street at Bentley University.  Waltham Police, Bentley Police, C-2, Rescue 6 & AMR Medic 1 & Ambulance 1 responded. The Deputy Chief requested Medflight but they were not flying due to Weather.

Bystanders began CPR on the 23-Year old female victim before Emergency crews arrived. Rescue 6 arrived on scene with the female unconscious and unresponsive. Firefighters & Medics started CPR on the female victim. They packaged and transported her to Newton-Wellesley Hospital with serious injuries.

She was latter transferred from Newton-Wellesley Hospital to Beth Israel Deconess Medical Center in Boston with Life-Threatening Injuries. She later died from her injuries.

The Accident is under investigation by the Waltham Police Department.