New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“Lakeville Dispatchers started receiving multiple 911 calls at 1:37 pm reporting a home on fire at 6 Beechtree Drive.
There were as many as 3 people home at the time of the fire, but all got out safely. A working fire assignment was requested prior to arrival due to the multiple reports. Car 1 (Chief O’Brien) arrived first and established command. The house was well involved, with flames impinging on adjacent houses.
Car 2 (DC Garant) arrived shortly after and began to coordinate operations.
Firefighters knocked the heavy exterior fire down and transitioned to an interior attack. Their maneuverability in the building was hampered by the large volume of household contents.
Engine 1 was directed to a nearby draft location to establish a water supply. While efforts were made to pull water from Long Pond, tankers from Lakeville, Freetown, Middleborough, and Berkley provided water for the fire attack.
The location of the fire features narrow roads and homes that are close together. Fire trucks, especially tankers, had great difficulty maneuvering and made the operation much more difficult.
Fire conditions would eventually force Chief O’Brien to order firefighters out of the building and strike a 2nd alarm.
The retreating firefighters regrouped and began to focus their efforts on preventing the fire from jumping to the neighboring houses. Eventually, firefighters made progress and reentered the building, extinguishing the fire.
One Lakeville Firefighter suffered a minor injury and was transported to Morton Hospital for treatment. The firefighter is now home recovering. This is the second Lakeville Firefighter injured at a fire scene in the last week.
Lakeville paramedics also treated one occupant for a minor burn, the person refused transport to the hospital.
Plymouth County Sheriff’s Department BSI assisted with scene documentation. Investigators from the Fire Marshals Office investigated the cause and nature of the fire.
The nature of the fire was accidental, and the cause of the fire is believed to be improperly discarded smoking materials.
Lakeville Fire Department response included Engines 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Tanker 1, Tower Ladder 1, and Ambulance 3. Lakeville Police Officers were pressed into action early in the fire, assisting with stretching supply lines. Officers were also forced to keep the peace multiple times throughout the incident, as occupants of the home became emotional.
The Lakeville Fire Department would like to express our gratitude to our mutual aid partners. Berkley Fire Department (Tanker / Chief), Freetown Fire Department (Engine, Tanker, Deputy Chief) Middleborough Fire Department (Engine, Chief, and Tanker) Raynham Fire Department (Engine, Chief), Rochester Fire Department (Engine), and Taunton Fire Department (Engine, Bat. Chief) responded in to assist the Town of Lakeville.
This manpower-intensive operation was only possible with the collaboration of these multiple agencies. The last Lakeville Firefighters cleared the scene at 6:18 pm.”-Lakeville Fire Department.
All photos by the Lakeville Fire Department:
