Just a minute or two after 6 a.m. on July 25, Worcester, Mass. Emergency Dispatch received a report from a Worcester Police Officer working the area of Bellevue Street that a vacant home was on fire at that location.
Box 4-08 was transmitted for this location for the second time this year. In another multiple alarm fire back in January when heavy fire tore through this once occupied home.
First arriving firefighters found this building well boarded up with heavy smoke showing from both the B and D sides of the building.
Ladder 7 from Park Avenue and Ladder 3 from the south division both quickly set up there trucks to get to work venting the boarded up windows. At the same time Engine 4 was establishing a water supply and Engine 2 was laying its lines down the road to feed the now almost empty Engine 4.
Companies soon had the boarded doors and windows uncovered and were making entry up the front stair case to attack the rapidly spreading fire. Firefighters worked an aggressive attack from both the interior on hand lines as well as from master streams and ladder pipes on the outside of the building.
Companies had the fire knocked down and were starting overhaul within about 45 minutes. The fire was brought to a second alarm due to exposure concerns as well as the heavy volume of fire first encountered.
Several firefighters were looked at on scene for minor injuries such as heat exhaustion. Some of the oncoming shift from Group 2 was brought into the scene to relieve the already taxed Group 4 guys who fought the blaze.
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