Published in the June 27, 2016 edition.
WAKEFIELD — Improper disposal of a cigarette was the likely cause of a three-alarm house fire at 12 Highland St. late Saturday afternoon that drew engines and fire crews from Melrose, Reading, Stoneham, North Reading, Saugus, Woburn and Lynnfield.
The occupants were not injured but two firefighters were treated for heat exhaustion. The home is likely a total loss, according to Fire Chief Michael Sullivan.
On-duty firefighters initiated their response after spotting smoke rising behind the Lincoln School one minute before receiving the first 911 call at approximately 5:18 p.m. on Saturday.
Wakefield firefighters under the command of Captain Brian Purcell arrived one minute later to find the rear porch, a large section of the exterior east side of the residence and the second floor heavily involved in flames. The houses on either side of the home were already receiving heat damage from the intense fire upon the arrival of the Fire Department.
Firefighters stretched hose lines to the second floor to try to control the blaze while wetting down the adjoining homes. Unfortunately the fire had a considerable head start and had already extended to the third floor and into concealed wall and ceiling spaces, according to Sullivan. As a result firefighters were forced to withdraw from the building and fight the fire from the outside using large capacity ladder pipes and hose lines.
A second alarm was struck at 5:23 p.m. bringing engines from Melrose, Reading and Stoneham as well as a North Reading ladder truck to the scene. A third alarm was struck at 5:45 p.m. to bring in still more manpower. Third alarm mutual aid included the engines from Lynnfield, Saugus and Woburn as well as a Lynnfield Ladder truck. A Winchester engine as well as a Malden engine and ladder truck covered the Town during the fire.
The fire was brought under control approximately 90 minutes after the first alarm. Chief Sullivan reported that the two-family home was likely a total loss, with extensive fire damage to the second and third floors and heavy water and smoke damage to the remainder of the structure.
The homeowners, Robert and Judy Trask, were the sole occupants of the property and were not injured. A Melrose fire Lieutenant was transported to Melrose-Wakefield hospital for heat exhaustion and a Wakefield Lieutenant was treated at the scene for the same condition. The Trasks will be displaced from their home for an extended period.
Troopers from the State Fire Marshal’s Office were contacted to conduct an investigation into the cause of the fire and it was determined to have originated in the area of the rear porch. Chief Sullivan stated that the cause of the fire is accidental most likely due to the improper disposal of a cigarette butt. He also stated that it was important for the public to realize that in these drought-like conditions it is very easy to start a fire by discarding a cigarette butt into vegetation or mulch.
Sullivan credited the on-duty firefighter responding on the first alarm for saving the two adjoining homes. He stated “they worked hard under difficult conditions and kept a serious fire from extending to surrounding structures.” The fire was not officially declared out until 10:50 p.m. and firefighters kept a close watch on the property for the remainder of the night.
