Firefighters battle Pond Street fire for two hours
Published on February 11th, 1998
STONEHAM, MA - Pond Street neighborhoods were lost in a sea of thick dark smoke late Thursday morning during a stubborn two-hour fire that destroyed the former Spot Pond Garden Center.
A second alarm was struck followed by a third alarm for six mutual aid companies. Over 30 firefighters were called to extinguish the difficult fire which caused an estimated $200,000 in damage.
According to Stoneham Fire Chief Lawrence Lamey, who was facing his first Stoneham fire, the cold and windy conditions along with the thick and blinding smoke hampered firefighters. At times, firefighters could barely see the building and the fire they were fighting.
The Stoneham Fire Auxiliary Unit was busy during the fire filling air tanks for firefighters. One firefighter reported going through four air tanks in about an hour and a half.
The Stoneham Fire/Rescue Department was contacted at ll:05 a.m. Upon arrival, fire companies proceeded to l02 rear Pond Street--a l25' x 20' commercial building used for vehicle storage and leased to two landscaping businesses. It was the former location of a turkey farm and is owned by the Conserva family who live in a home abutting 102 Pond Street. There had been preliminary discussions about developing the former landscaping business site for a housing development.
Precautions, including the notification of the Burlington Haz Mat team, were taken on initial reports that the building may have contained dangerous pesticides. After determining a no pesticide danger, the fire was brought under control at approximately 1:55 p.m., but required extensive overhaul operations to seek out all remaining hot spots.
Witnesses at the scene said there were at least two minor explosions thought to be caused by the storage of gasoline inside the building. The fire quickly spread throughout the structure which sits perpendicular to Pond Street.
There was concern about the effect of the smoke on the Edgewood Elementary School which is located only a few hundred yards away. The private 7th-day Adventist School was not evacuated because the wind was not blowing in that direction, but officials at the school were put on notice and explained the dangers if the wind had shifted.
Aid was received from the communities of Reading, Wakefield, Melrose, Winchester, Burlington and Woburn. The American Red Cross and the MBTA responded to provide hot drinks, food and a warm bus to rehabilitate the fatigued firefighters, who battled the blaze. All companies were released and back in service at 5:l5 p.m..
One firefighter from Stoneham sustained minor injuries during a fall and was brought to BRMC for treatment and released. Firefighter Mark Chabak will be unable to return to his duties for approximately another week, according to Lamey.
Captains Fred Petrillo and James Halpin of the Stoneham Fire/Rescue Department and Lt. Charles Haney of the Stoneham Police Department are investigating the cause of the fire.
Initial reports indicate that one of the landscapers was working in the building approximately a half-hour before flames were spotted.
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