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Fire Log
2005
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“Fire Sale”
by Jay Pozark
Sunday morning, March 11, 1956 City Box #39 for Chestnut Street at Ashton Square was transmitted at 0231 hours for smoke coming from a building on Chestnut Street near the intersection of Essex Street. The building was home to Leo’s Dairy Bar and Luncheonette, and also a warehouse for King Radio and TV. The three-story brick building had been built in 1900 by the St. Joseph’s Total Abstinence Society. The fire had started in the cellar, and was eating its way up through the building. Engine 5 from the nearby Fayette Street station pulled their Ahrens-Fox pumper just past the building, and ran a soft suction off a hydrant. The crew stretched a 2 ½” hoseline into the building. Ladder 1, also from Fayette Street, came the opposite way down Chestnut Street, and threw their stick to the roof. Heavy smoke choked the building.
At 0237 hours, a second alarm was struck to bring additional help. Fire extended through the structure, threatening the exposures. This caused a three-decker next door to be evacuated by firefighters. Members continued to attempt to open up the fire building. A 35 foot ground ladder was thrown to the upper floors. Fire and thick smoke on all three floors was being fed by new and used refrigerators, washers, TV’s, stoves and mattresses. A third alarm was transmitted at 0241 hours. For the next two hours, hot air explosions would shower firemen with fragments of broken glass.
The fire was contained, and companies were making up by 0500 hours. At 0532 hours, the Rescue Company was sent back to the fire with their trailer generator and sump pumps. For another two hours, they worked to remove water from the building. An inventory reported the next day that there were 60 TV’s, 30 refrigerators, 10 stoves, 40 washers destroyed. This was all new merchandise. There were also 250 used TV’s and several mattresses destroyed on floors one and two. Lieutenant Joseph E. Kelleher of the State Fire Marshall’s Office investigated the fire.
A testimony to the heavy smoke was the Rescue’s use of 5 gas masks for 50 minutes, and another 2 for 20 minutes, requiring the replacement of four canisters. They also used their floodlights for three hours, and the two sump pumps.
To cap off the day, City Box #74, Summer Street and Dearborn Avenue was struck at 1150 hours. This was for a working fire in a one-story vacant building at the end of Avon Street, on the banks of the Saugus River. The former bath house sustained heavy damage, estimated at $1,500.00, with some extension to nearby automibles. The recall was sounded at 1240 hours.
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