WAKEFIELD — A truck carrying multiple canisters of hydrogen and oxygen caught fire yesterday afternoon on Rte. 128 south at Exit 42 near the Sheraton Colonial Hotel when the vehicle’s brakes locked up, igniting a fire. Traffic in the area was snarled for about 45 minutes when both sides of the highway were shut down.
The fire was contained to the area of the left rear brake, said Fire Chief Michael Sullivan and the quick work of the driver, James Hopkins of West Warwick, R.I. was an “immense help.”
The Wakefield and Lynnfield Fire Departments and Wakefield Police Department rushed to the scene and shut down traffic on both sides of the highway at about 4:30 p.m. as a precaution. Traffic began flowing again about 45 minutes later.
“There were a few things in our favor,” said Sullivan. “First, the fire was contained to the area of the tire and second, the driver did not panic and used a dry chemical fire extinguisher to put it out. When we arrived at the scene, we completed the extinguishing with a hose line.”
“The fire was a real test of our abilities,” said Sullivan. “Everyone did an excellent job. Traffic was all messed up.”
Responding to the fire from Wakefield were Engine 1, Engine 4 and Ladder 1.
On scene from Engine 1 were Capt. Richard Smith, Lt. Philip Preston, Firefighters Russell Ricker, Christopher Curran, Darren Stead, John Hurley and Lt. Robert Taggart.
The ladder crew consisted of Lt. Joseph Albert and Firefighters Gary Hill and John Riley. Dispatcher was Christopher Sullivan.
“This could have been far worse than it was,” said Lt. Craig Calabrese of the Wakefield Police Department. “The highway could have been shut down for the entire night.”
Calabrese also said that most of the shift from the Police Department were on scene.
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A mid-morning three-alarm fire next to the Cedar Glen Golf Course on Water Street in Saugus yesterday also brought out the Wakefield Fire Department’s Engine 4 on the first alarm, as was requested by the Saugus Fire Department.
Chief Sullivan said a single-family home at 66 Water St., Saugus was fully engulfed in fire when firefighters responded at 10 a.m.
All occupants were evacuated.
Responding were Lt. Robert Taggart and Firefighters Darren Stead and John Hurley.
The fire crew returned to Wakefield headquarters at 1 p.m.
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The Fire Department responded to four other calls yesterday, three for medical aid and a car lockout on Vernon Street.
