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Amesbury Fire Department Responds to Fire at Nursing Home

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Amesbury Fire Rescue Department
Kenneth E. Berkenbush, Chief
17 School Street
Amesbury, MA 01913

For Immediate Release

Friday, April 13, 2018

Media Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Amesbury Fire Department Responds to Fire at Nursing Home

AMESBURY — The extensive and pervasive fire and EMS mutual aid network in this region was on full display Friday morning as dozens of residents at the Merrimack Valley Health Center nursing home had to be relocated after a fire broke out at the facility.

Amesbury Fire Chief Kenneth E. Berkenbush is today praising the facility’s staff, firefighters from 11 departments in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, Amesbury Police, Atlantic Ambulance and Northeast Emergency Medical Services Massachusetts Region III for their immediate response to the fire.

The Amesbury Fire Department, along with 10 additional departments in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, responded to the Merrimack Valley Health Center nursing home this morning for a fire. (Courtesy Photo)
The Amesbury Fire Department, along with 10 additional departments in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, responded to the Merrimack Valley Health Center nursing home this morning for a fire. (Courtesy Photo)

At 9:39 a.m., the Amesbury Fire Department responded to a 911 call and fire alarm activation from 22 Maple St. The first arriving firefighters observed a moderate smoke condition on the first floor of the east side of the building. Amesbury Fire subsequently struck a box alarm, which calls in off-duty firefighters and initiates the mutual aid process.

Chief Berkenbush, working in close collaboration with health center staff and Northeast EMS Region 3 Executive Director Jonathan Brickett, initiated a shelter in place of all 105 residents, moving everyone to the west side of the building, which is separated from the east side by a fire wall and fire doors. A complete evacuation of the building would have been unsafe given the lack of mobility experience by many of the facility’s residents and the facility’s location at the top of a steep hill.

Firefighters subsequently struck a second and third alarm simultaneously in order to make mutual aid available to facilitate the shelter in place process and assist in firefighting efforts. Multiple ambulances were called to the scene as a precaution, and nearby hospitals were ordered to stand by. However, no injuries were reported.

A preliminary investigation revealed that a fan connected to the HVAC system on the first floor malfunctioned and began to burn insulation. The fire was extinguished using dry chemical fire extinguishers, and the building did not suffer any structural damage. Firefighters remained on scene after the flames were put down in order to ventilate the building.

Due to the loss of electrical power, firefighters used a special stretcher to bring one patient down two flights of stairs in order for them to make it to a dialysis appointment off-site.

Mutual aid was provided by fire departments in Salisbury, West Newbury, Merrimac and Newburyport from Massachusetts, as well as Kingston, East Kingston, Exeter, South Hampton, Seabrook and Brentwood from New Hampshire. Atlantic Ambulance also provided assistance.

“This was a smooth, well-coordinated response that would not have been possible without the highly cooperative effort by numerous departments and agencies,” Chief Berkenbush said. “The mutual aid network we share with all of our surrounding communities helped ensure that everyone remained calm and avoided injury during this incident and I want to thank them for their consistent support.”

The fire is under investigation by the Amesbury Fire Department and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office.

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Video: Gloucester Fire Department Battles 2-Alarm Building Fire

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Gloucester Fire Department
Eric Smith, Fire Chief
8 School St.
Gloucester, MA 01930

For Immediate Release

Sunday, April 8, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Gloucester Fire Department Battles Building Fire on Two Penny Lane

GLOUCESTER — Chief Eric L. Smith reports that the Gloucester Fire Department battled a large fire that destroyed a single family home late Saturday night.

Firefighters responded to 33 Two Penny Lane at 11:20 p.m. Saturday for a reported building fire. Heavy fire was visible on arrival. The large home appeared to be fully ablaze, with flames flames existing the structure in multiple directions. It was determined that no one was inside the home, and the decision was made to engage in defensive operations, fighting the fire from the outside. 

The fire was so intense that it had also spread to the nearby grass and trees. The exterior attack was also used to prevent the fire from spreading and to minimize flying embers and debris. 

Firefighters established a water supply using nearly a half-mile of hose line. A second alarm was struck to bring additional manpower to the scene, and mutual aid was provided by the Essex, Manchester-by-the-Sea, and Rockport Fire Departments. The Beverly, Ipswich, and Hamilton Fire Departments provided station coverage to Gloucester during the incident. 

No civilians were injured, but one firefighter sustained an injury when a piece of burning debris landed on his neck. The firefighter, who was deploying an attack hose line when the debris landed on him, continued to work to battle the flames. He was later evaluated at the scene but was not hospitalized.

The building is a total loss. 

The home appears to have been under construction or renovation. A contractor’s trailer and a dumpster were found on site. The origin and cause of the fire are under investigation by the Gloucester Fire Department, the Gloucester Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office.

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Easton Fire Department Extinguishes Fire at Vacant Home

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Easton Fire Department
Kevin Patridge, Fire Chief
413 Bay Road
South Easton, MA 02375

For Immediate Release

Saturday, March 17, 2018

Contact: Benjamin Paulin
Phone: 781-428-3299
Email: ben@jgpr.net

Easton Fire Department Extinguishes Fire at Vacant Home

EASTON — Chief Kevin Partridge reports that the Easton Fire Department extinguished a fire at a vacant home on Washington Street (Route 138) Saturday morning.

At approximately 7:40 a.m., the Easton Fire Department received multiple 911 calls reporting that a home had heavy flames coming from the windows.

Firefighters responded to 276 Washington St. where the home had flames shooting from multiple windows.

Mutual aid was called for and firefighters from the Stoughton, West Bridgewater and Raynham fire departments responded to assist. The Brockton Fire Department provided station coverage for Easton.

Route 138 was closed and traffic was diverted by the Easton Police Department while the firefighters worked to extinguish the fire. 

It took about a half hour for the heavy flames to be knocked down and the fire was completely out by about 10 a.m.

The cause and origin of the fire is being investigated by the Easton Fire Department and State Police investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office.

The home, which had been vacant since May, sustained heavy fire damage and is considered a total loss. The home did not have heat or water service at the time of the fire, however the house did have electricity.

No injuries were reported and the flames were prevented from spreading to any nearby homes.

Route 138 was reopened around 10 a.m.

Because the home is located across the street from a shopping plaza, the Easton Fire Department is asking for anyone that may have witnessed the fire to contact them at 508-208-0190.

“Our guys, and those who came on mutual aid, did a great job of containing and knocking this fire down as quickly as possible,” Chief Partridge said. “With multiple homes nearby, I was glad to see that there were no other properties damaged given how heavy the fire was upon arrival.”

Chief Partridge would also like to thank the Special Signal Fire Association Providence Canteen and the Mansfield Emergency Management Agency rehabilitation truck for responding and providing the firefighters with water and refreshments.

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Andover Fire Rescue Responds to Apartment Complex for Fatal Two-Alarm Fire

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Andover

Andover Fire Rescue
Chief Michael B. Mansfield
32 North Main St.
Andover, MA 01810

For Immediate Release

Thursday, March 8, 2018

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Andover Fire Rescue Responds to Apartment Complex for Fatal Two-Alarm Fire

ANDOVER — Fire Chief Michael Mansfield reports that Andover Fire Rescue responded to a fatal two-alarm fire at an apartment complex this morning.

At 11:05 a.m., Andover Fire received a report of a fire at Andover Commons, 30 Railroad St. — a four-story building with 167 units.

Upon arrival, crews were met with smoke showing from a fourth floor apartment on the south side of the complex. A second alarm was ordered. The Lawrence, Methuen, Tewksbury, Wilmington, North Reading and North Andover Fire Departments provided mutual aid and station coverage.

Residents from throughout the complex were moved from their apartments to common areas within the building while crews made an aggressive attack.

An 80-year old male resident was located by fire crews in his apartment. Firefighters performed emergency life-saving measures and he was transported to Lawrence General Hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

No other injuries were reported.

Once the fire was put out, Andover Fire remained on scene for several hours checking for hot spots and extension. All residents were then able to return to their apartments.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by Andover Fire Rescue, the Andover Police Department, the State Fire Marshal and the Essex District Attorney Crime Prevention and Control (CPAC) Unit.

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