Multiple MA Departments Battle Vacant Mill Fire

Fire destroyed the former Strathmore Paper, Number 2 Mill on the backs of the Westfield River Friday night. Firefighters were called to the scene at about 8:30 p.m. to find heavy flame and smoke coming from the west end of the building.

Even 12 hours after the initial alarm, flames and heavy smoke rose from the central portion of the building as pumper trucks continued to pour water on the fire debris,

Mutual aid from departments as far away as the New York border sent tank trucks to aid local firefighters after hydrants connected to the Russell system ran dry after about two hours of work.

Tank trucks set up a bucket brigade of sorts, sending tankers from the fire scene in the Woronoco section of Russell to Westfield to fill up then return across a narrow, one-lane Bailey Bridge over the Westfield River. Tankers filled two 2,000-gallon portable, rubberized canvas tanks from which pumper trucks drew water to fight the fire.

That Bailey Bridge made it impossible to bring heavy ladder trucks across the river to the fire scene due to weight limitations, forcing smaller pumper trucks to handle the fire fighting load.

A second bridge across the river has been closed to traffic or a number of years.

Russell Fire Chief Niles LaValley said first responders found heavy flames coming from the west end of the building where rolls of paper, left from when the plant was operational, were stored and became fuel for the fire. The plant shut down approximately 20 years ago.

Also on the scene were a number of environmental agencies and engineering firms. The state Department of Environmental Protection, the federal Environmental Protection Agency and the state Fire Marshal’s Hazardous Materials Response unit all sent personnel. A vehicle and personnel from a commercial environmental engineering firm were also at the scene. Hazardous Materials UnitHazardous Materials Response

Firefighters at the scene said departments associated with the Hampshire and Berkshire Counties Fire Tack Forces sent trucks to aid Russell firefighters. Units from as far away as Egremont on the New York border and Ware in northeastern Hampshire County as well as Hampden County departments responded. LaValley said at some points more than 125 firefighters were working the fire.

The building had been purchased just a year ago by a Pittsfield developer. Jacob Trudeau bought the 233,00 square-foot complex on 34 acres for $15,000 at a tax auction in May of 2019.

He told reports at the time he had no definitive plans for the complex.

LaValley said the building had operational electrical service.

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