Published in the April 27, 2018 edition.
WAKEFIELD — A long-smoldering fire was extinguished this morning on Pleasant Street.
According to Fire Chief Michael Sullivan, a passerby reported smoke coming from the eaves and windows at 125 Pleasant St. around 5:45 a.m. today. The home, which was in the midst of undergoing extensive renovations, is located between Sweetser and Central streets.
That passerby called fire headquarters in a nick of time,
Sullivan said. When the first company arrived, firefighters found the single family home fully charged with smoke. There was zero visibility and a lot of heat. The fire was soon found in a room on the first floor; firefighters got to it before it was able to spread, Sullivan explained.
However, because the house was undergoing renovation, it was buttoned up tight and posed a classic set-up for fire back draft, Sullivan continued. When the first crew made entry through the front door, it was met with a forceful heat blast. Quickly, a couple of boarded up windows were ventilated by firefighters.
“This started sometime in the middle of the night,” Sullivan said, “and it was going all night, slowly filling the house with heat and smoke. Just a few more minutes and we would have had a much more serious situation on our hands.”
There were no injuries.
No one was living in the house at the time.
Reading sent an engine to the scene and Stoneham covered fire headquarters.
While the fire’s cause is under investigation, Sullivan said he believes it started accidentally.
There is quite a bit of heat and soot damage to the home, Sullivan added, “but it is not a total loss by any means. The family, which had planned to move back in in about a month, will just be displaced a little longer.”
