Stoneham man rescued in fire
Published on August 7th, 2002
STONEHAM, MA - 77 year-old Stoneham man is still in critical condition after a tragic gas-grill explosion ignited a three-alarm fire and destroyed the McCallister home at 2 Citation Avenue. William McCallister, 77, of 2 Citation Avenue is in critical but stable condition at Mass. General Hospital after a trio of Stoneham firefighters staged a daring ladder rescue during the early evening hours of July 31.
According to eyewitnesses, McCallister lit the propane fueled grill on his second floor deck, and neighbors reported hearing a hissing sound and seeing flames coming from the lower portion of the malfunctioning grill. McCallister bent over to inspect the grill problem and just then the grill exploded into a lethal fireball.
Stoneham firefighters Capt. Ed Regan, Guy Cammarata and Paul McIntyre reported to the scene at 5:26 p.m., and encountered a scenario that required immediate action. Regan immediately struck a second alarm upon arrival, and the struck the third alarm twenty minutes later.
“We saw the smoke before we even got to the house, and immediately knew this was serious,” said Regan, a 16-year veteran of the department. “There was already heavy fire in the house and on the roof, and we saw a semi-conscious William McCallister hanging his head and hands out the second-floor bedroom window with smoke just pouring out.”
“We were at that house three minutes after the call, and attic and rear of the house were completely engulfed in flames,” said Regan.
According to McCallister’s daughter Linda Hanley, McCallister had returned into the treacherous home to rescue a pair of cats that were “his whole life.”
A team of five Stoneham firefighters manning two pieces of fire apparatus arrived at the scene, and Regan and Cammarata entered the house. Cammarata instinctively headed to the second floor through a wall of heat, smoke and flame, and met McCallister just as the 75 year-old had collapsed in the bedroom.
“The house was completely packed with thick smoke, and the heat made it feel like walking into an oven,” said Cammarata. “I had to fight my way through the smoke to the second floor, and luckily I found him. The mixture of propane and fire made it feel like a blowtorch coming through the house.”
Despite the air of chaos and danger surrounding him, Cammarata seemed to have just one goal in mind.
“When you first start going up the stairs you’re thinking about just doing your job, but then I started going down the hallway I was thinking ‘What am I getting myself into,” added Cammarata. “But the one overriding thought you have is to just rescue that person. Any worries about yourself are really in the back of your mind.”
Cammarata, while lugging some 50 lbs. of firefighting gear, carried the man back to the window, and passed him onto a ladder manned by Regan and McIntyre. The two firefighters carried a semi-conscious McCallister down the ground ladder while Cammarata dove headfirst out the window and down the ladder.
“He (McCallister) never would have made it through being carried through the house with the smoke conditions,” said Regan, who also added that it was McIntyre’s first day driving the ladder truck. “I can’t say enough about the bravery and unselfishness of Guy Cammarata. He went all by himself into the fire and smoke, and saved Mr. McCallister.”
“Everybody did their job perfectly,” added Regan.
Action Ambulance reported to the scene, and transported McCallister to Mass. General Hospital with burns to his hands and face, as well as considerable smoke inhalation. According to Hanley, McCallister’s lungs were damaged from the heat and smoke, and he is breathing with the aid of a machine and under heavy sedation.
“We’ve had several neighbors that have had heard news reports saying that my father is in fair or good condition, and then tried to visit him at the hospital,” said Hanley. “He’s still in very critical condition, and isn’t ready for visitors.”
Cammarata, Regan and McIntyre immediately returned to the job at hand, and helped set up three water lines in and around the house. Engine One led by Lt. Frank Gould, which had been responding to a call on Dunklee Avenue, arrived at the scene along with the Melrose, Winchester, Wakefield and Reading Fire Departments. Deputy Chief Frank Halpin and Stoneham Fire Chief Lawrence Lamey also arrived to aid in the firefight and subsequent investigation. Melrose Fire aided in venting the roof to aid the heat in escaping the house, and the surrounding towns joined in dousing the rising flames.
Fire and Emergency personnel remained at the scene for almost three hours. The Red Cross arrived at the scene to provide food and shelter to the McCallister family, as both McCallister’s mother and wife arrived at the scene.
Auxiliary Fire and Police officials also aided the emergency workers by refilling their air tanks and providing lighting during the evening.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but it was believed to be related to old or faulty gas line or valve on the grill, according to Regan.
The Hanley and McCallister family also recovered both cats after the fire, and both are currently being sheltered at a local animal hospital.
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