Beverly Fire Department

2 alarm fire
1/20/10

At 1231, the Beverly Fire Department received a fire alarm transmission from 40-55 Folly Pond Rd. Engine’s 5,1 and 3 were dispatched with Car 2. While enroute to the scene, Beverly Police reported receiving a call stating there was fire coming from a window at 50 Folly Pond Rd.

Upon arrival, Engine 5 and Deputy Chief Peter O’Connor found heavy fire coming from a second floor window extending to a soffit directly above. Due to the volume of fire and the nature of the structure, a second alarm assignment was immediately requested. The crew of Engine 5 advanced a hoseline into apartment 21 where they encounter high heat, smoke and fire conditions and firefighters A.J. Petronzio and Joseph Tucker initiated a fire attack.

As additional companies arrived at the scene, fire crews advanced a second line into the building and checked all other apartments for occupants. Beverly Police Officers assisted by evacuating people from 55 Folly Pond Rd.

Crews were able to stop the fire confining it to a bedroom in Apartment 21 and some minor extension to the apartment 31 directly above. By 1300 the heavy fire was knocked down and at 1446 the last of the initial companies was clear of the scene. There were no injuries as a result of the fire.

Fire Investigators Captain Jeff Sirois, Lieutenant Eric Fowler and Firefighter Mark Brewer investigated the fire and determined the cause to be combustible materials allowed to be in close contact to electric baseboard heaters. The materials were in direct contact with the heater and reached their ignition temperature starting the fire. All of the occupants from the 12 units in 50 Folly pond Rd were displaced and property managers and the American Red Cross were assisting them with housing.

Fire crews from Beverly, Danvers, Salem, Hamilton, Wenham worked at the scene while crews from Manchester, Middleton and Swampscott covered the stations. Northeast Regional Ambulance responded to the scene and  Roger Baker and a crew of Volunteers also responded to provide firefighters with water and assistance.

Open Burning Season

January 15 – May 1

Open Burning Season is once again here.  If you live in an area of the city where open burning is allowed, call the Beverly Fire Department at 978-922-2424 after 9 am to request a permit. The permit will be issued over the phone if weather conditions allow and the location is not on a restricted street. Due to the dense conditions of some neighborhoods, open burning is not allowed as it would be a fire hazard. An example of this would be a down town street with densely packed houses.

In Beverly, you can begin to burn after 10 am and have to have the fire out by 3 pm. The fire must always be attended and the responsible person should always have some extinguishing method handy to keep the fire from getting out of control. Fires should be kept manageable and children should never be allowed near the operation.

Remember to start the fire safely. Never use gasoline or other flammable liquids to start a fire. And always remember to call 911 as soon as you feel a fire might be getting away from you.

Please see the following guidelines for safe open burning operations provided by the Massachusetts Fire Marshal’s Office

With A Permit, Burning of the Following Materials is Allowed:

• Brush, cane, driftwood, and forestry debris from other than commercial or industrial land clearing operations
• Materials normally associated with the pursuit of agriculture such as, fruit tree prunings, dead raspberry stalks, blueberry patches for pruning purposes, and infected beehives for disease control.
• Trees and brush resulting from agricultural land clearing.
• Fungus infected elm wood, if no other acceptable means of disposal is available.

Burning of the Following Materials is Prohibited Statewide:

• Brush, trees, cane and driftwood from commercial and/or industrial land clearing operations.

• Grass, hay, leaves and stumps, and tires.
• Construction material and debris

How to Safely Ignite the Fire

• An adult should always be present during open burning and children and pets should be kept at a safe distance away.
• Use paper and kindling to start a fire and add progressively larger pieces of wood. Parts of a leftover Christmas tree may also be used.
• Never use gasoline, kerosene or any other flammable liquid to start a fire! The risk of personal injury in these cases is very high.
• Burn one small pile at a time and slowly add to it. This will help keep the fire from getting out of control.
• Select a location away from utility lines.

Fires Must be Attended Until Completely Extinguished
Do not leave your fire burning unattended. This is a reason to revoke your burning permit.

Fire Control Tools and Water Supply Must Be Present
The water supply can be a pressurized fire extinguisher, a pump can or garden hose, and be sure to test it out before igniting the fire to be sure it works properly. Also, if relying on a garden hose double-check that the water supply is turned on and that there are no cracks in the hose itself. You are required to have a water supply and fire control tools on hand.

Watch the Wind: Be Prepared to Extinguish All Open Burning
It is unsafe to burn during high winds. Use common sense and don’t wait for the fire department to contact you that is has become unsafe to burn. Sudden wind change is the how most open burning gets out of control.

Don’t Delay a Call for Help
If for some reason, the fire should get out of control, call the fire department immediately. Use the utmost caution to prevent injury to yourself or family members or any damage by fire to your home.

April is the Cruelest Month
April is usually the worst month for brush fires. When snow pack recedes, before new growth emerges, last year’s dead grass, leave and wood are dangerous tinder. Winds also tend to be stronger and more unpredictable during April. Unfortunately many people wait until the warmer weather to conduct open burning.

Prevent Wildfires by Burning During Wet Snowy Conditions
Prevent permit fires from becoming wild land fires by burning early in the season. Wet and snowy winter conditions hinder the rapid spread of fire on or under the ground. Weather conditions and increased fire danger may lead to many days when burning cannot be allowed to take place.

Open Burning Alternatives
Open burning releases large amount of carbon dioxide, other gases and solid substances directly into the air, which can contribute to respiratory problems. Disposal of natural materials is best for the environment when they are used again in a different form. Try chipping or composting tree limbs, brush or forestry debris to use as landscaping materials.

Helmets for Haiti

Firefighter Brian Tamilio, Chief Pierce and the rest of the Beverly Fire Department would like to extend thanks to all of those that donated to the Helmets for Haiti drive on Saturday, January 16. In total, the Department collected $8,100 to give to the American Red Cross for Haiti relief.

Firefighters Collect for Haiti

1/16/10

While watching the news, one firefighter felt compelled to do what he could to make a difference. Firefighter Brian Tamilio was watching the evening news in the station and saw an opportunity to get involved with the American Red Cross and get some much needed help to the people in the devastated country. Within minutes, Tamilio was on the phone with fellow firefighters and representatives of the American Red Cross.

Over the following hours, Tamilio secured donated signs from Staples and family members and volunteers to collect money in the Gloucester Crossing and North Beverly intersections. The following morning, off duty firefighters, friends and family members stood by the intersections between 9 am and 3 pm collecting for the cause.

At the end of the day, the group had collected two large buckets full of cash that will be counted and turned over to the American Red Cross. “People were really fantastic,” said Tamilio “we had a couple people give us hundreds of dollars during our self titled Helmets for Haiti collection”.

Plans for a second collection are currently under way.

Rollover  1/07/10
         

At 1007, the Beverly Fire Department was dispatched for a report of a motor vehicle rollover near 218 Hart St. Upon arrival, Lt. Donald O’Connor and his crew on Engine 3 found an 18 wheel dump truck on its side off the roadway. The operator of the vehicle was still inside the cab and between 30 and 60 gallons of diesel fuel had been released from the vehicles fuel tank.

Firefighters from Engine 3 entered the cab to assess the driver and assisted him out the windshield of the truck. He was transported to Beverly Hospital by Northeast Regional Ambulance but did not appear to suffer any serious injuries.

When the driver was out of the vehicle, firefighters spread speedi dry in an effort to corral leaked fuel and prevent it from contaminating more of the area. Representatives from the Department of Environmental Protection and the State Police Truck Team responded to the scene. Additional firefighters from Engine 5 also responded to the scene to assist.

Engine 3 stood by the scene until 1220 while the vehicle was righted and removed by Coady Towing. The truck was owned by Bentley Warren.