FOUR seniors who resided in the three-family home at 114 Haverhill St. are currently homeless following a fire on April 16. (Barry Galvin Photo)

 

NORTH READING — Four senior citizens have been left homeless following a devastating daytime fire at 114 Haverhill St. shortly after noon on Tuesday, April 16.

Fortunately, no one was injured and firefighters were able to rescue all three cats who were inside the building and reunite them with their owners once the fire was extinguished.

However, due to heavy smoke and water damage throughout the building, the residents, three women and one man, lost all their belongings and the building has been condemned by North Reading Building Commissioner Gerry Noel.

According to a report filed by Deputy Fire Chief Barry Galvin, at 12:14 p.m. on Tuesday, April 16, the North Reading Fire Department received a 9-1-1 call from a second-floor resident of 114 Haverhill Street, a three-unit, multi-family dwelling. Firefighter Jon Burt, who was attending a nearby hazardous materials team drill, was on scene within seconds and reported smoke showing and that all residents were out of the building.

Upon arrival at the scene, Deputy Chief Galvin called for a working fire assignment. “This augmented the first alarm response of North Reading Engine 2, Ladder 1 and Rescue 1, which were staffed by call back personnel, with Engines from Reading and Middleton. Engine 3, with the duty crew of Acting Captain Nick Carney, FF’s Cory Harris, Adam Salemme, and Nate DeMeco arrived in under a minute from the 9-1-1 call and immediately advanced a hose line to the second floor where they encountered heavy smoke and heat. The fire was knocked down within 12 minutes of our arrival,” he said.

The involved building is over 100 years old and features balloon frame construction which consists of numerous void spaces creating the potential for fire to travel from the first floor to the attic. Firefighters quickly checked for any fire extension, searched all three units, removed, and reunited three cats with their owners.

North Reading Police provided assistance with traffic control and fire investigation. North Reading Elder Services along with the American Red Cross responded to assist with housing and other needs for the four displaced residents. North Reading Inspectional Services along with Reading Municipal Light Department responded to assist with making the building safe. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental. Wakefield and Wilmington provided coverage during the fire.

After the incident, Deputy Chief Galvin remarked, “I am extremely proud of our firefighters. Their quick efforts prevented this from being a major loss. Our Mutual Aid partners were extremely helpful as they always are. All involved town departments worked well together. In fact, the Senior Center went beyond expectations in helping the displaced residents.”

Galvin would like to remind our residents of the importance of having working smoke detectors on every level of your home and to be extra careful when cooking, making sure there are no combustible materials near the cooking area.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT NEEDED

The response from the townspeople offering help to the displaced residents has been gratifying for Director of Elder Services Kim Manzelli. However, in an interview with the Transcript Tuesday night, she emphasized that there remains a long road ahead for all four displaced residents, one of whom is being housed temporarily in a hotel in Woburn and who does not drive, and the others who are temporarily staying with relatives or friends.

Manzelli said her staff is doing all they can to help the residents, such as helping them to apply for apartments or at least to get on the waiting lists with area Housing Authorities, which have always had very long wait lists. But the need has become more acute in recent months throughout the state so this housing will be even more difficult to find.

Since none of the residents have places of their own to live, the best way to help them is to provide gift cards to local stores where they can buy essentials and groceries on an as-needed basis, or to restaurants where they can get a meal.

The Friends of the North Reading Council on Aging, which is a nonprofit group, will coordinate the handling and distribution of any gift cards to be distributed evenly between the four residents. Now through May 9 residents may drop off gift cards in person at the Senior Center (Third Meeting House on the Common), 157 Park St., during regular business hours only (Mon-Thu, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Fridays 8 a.m.-1 p.m.). The volunteers at the North Reading Food Pantry have also been fantastic, she said, as well as the initiatives being undertaken by private citizens online, including the possibility of setting up a gofundme account.

Manzelli stressed that the Senior Center cannot accept donations of items such as furniture or clothing as there is no storage available and nothing can be left outside the building after hours. In addition, the Senior Center will be undergoing interior renovations for two weeks (May 10-24) so even the staff will be vacating the premises while the flooring gets replaced. [Temporary office space will be used at Town Hall and Senior Center programs during those two weeks will be held at their satellite locations, Aldersgate Church and some classes at the Masonic building.] When and where gift card donations will be accepted during renovations will be announced at a later date.

Other ways townspeople can help include volunteering to drive the resident who is staying at the hotel in Woburn to the daily lunches and activities at the Senior Center, for example. Once new housing is found for these residents, the Senior Center will reach out to area agencies or residents to help them get the furniture and furnishings that will be needed, and volunteer assistance would be very helpful at that time as well, possibly to help them move items.

While this fire has put a spotlight on the precariousness of the affordable housing needs in the town and throughout the state, Manzelli said it also highlights the vulnerabilities facing this growing demographic and the challenges and rewards involved in providing services to them. Offering praise to her staff, including outreach coordinator Sue Tilton, transportation and program coordinator Jackie Quinn, administrative assistant Sherri Greer, and the Senior Center’s van drivers plus the staff and volunteers involved in the daily lunches, the many exercise programs, and so many other special programs they currently offer to the seniors would not be possible without an army of volunteers. Anyone who is interested in volunteering in any capacity with the town’s seniors is welcome to call the Senior Center at 978-664-5600 or stop by and see what they’re all about.

~ Maureen Doherty contributed to this report