New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
“At 4:49 p.m. on October 22, the New Bedford Fire Department received a 911 call reporting a structure fire at 354 Coffin Ave. Command Unit 1 arrived three minutes later and reported a working structure fire. Ladder Company 4 arrived shortly thereafter. Based on a review of radio traffic among responding units, it was determined that units responded in under 6 minutes, consistent with the national standard for fire response time according to the National Fire Protection Association.
Upon arrival at the scene, Lieutenant Kevin Cormier along with Firefighter Christopher Mount, of Ladder Company 4, conducted a search of the three-family dwelling and were able to quickly locate and evacuate the lone occupant of the residence.
The Fire Department’s ‘blackout’ policy had no effect on the time of arrival of the first fire apparatus, because Ladder Company 4 was dispatched from the nearest fire station, Station 8, which was staffed and operating at the time of the fire. The ‘blackout’ of an individual unit does not necessarily result in the closure of a fire station. It is the role of Ladder Companies to conduct search and rescue at the scene of a fire.
The investigation into the cause of the fire is still under investigation but the focus is on an accidental cause. The fire has resulted in one fatality, and the New Bedford Fire Department extends its sincere condolences to the victim’s family.
The Joint investigation is being conducted by the New Bedford Fire Department Investigation Unit and Police along with State Police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.”
