August 7, 2010
Eleven departments fight South Lawrence fire
By Jim Patten and Jill Harmacinski Lawrence Eagle Tribune
Staff Writers
LAWRENCE — Firefighters from 10 other communities were called to Lawrence yesterday afternoon to control a smoky three-alarm blaze that heavily damaged two cottage-style homes and left a dozen residents homeless.
Westford firefighters, traveling from some 20 miles away, responded to 9 and 15 State St. yesterday in a ladder truck. Others crews came from Andover, North Andover, Methuen, Middleton, Haverhill, Lowell, Dracut, North Reading and Salem, N.H., to bolster Lawrence's efforts.
Lawrence firefighters Hector Santiago and Orlando Rosado suffered heat-related injuries. Santiago returned to work last night while Rosado continued to recover from both heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation, Deputy Chief Jack Bergeron said.
When firefighters pulled open the front door to 15 State St., the rush of fresh air into the building caused a flashover — a burst of fire accelerated by oxygen.
"You couldn't see the street. That's how thick the smoke was," Bergeron said about when the first firefighters who arrived on the scene.
Firefighters also had to deal with oppressive humidity and occasional winds.
Two dozen firefighters were laid off in Lawrence earlier this summer — cuts that have left the department dangerously undermanned, according to fire officials.
Before the recent layoffs, fires in the city would go to three alarms before mutual aid assistance was called in. But with the reduction in manpower available to fight fires, mutual aid is now called on the second alarm.
The cause of the fire, which was reported at 2:13 p.m., remained under investigation last night.
The blaze was originally reported as a tree fire or possible bark mulch blaze. Engine 9's crew was initially sent to State Street alone, but as they approached, firefighters could see black smoke coming from the two small homes at 9 and 15 State St. They immediately called for a second alarm to bring additional firefighting power to the scene.
State Street, in South Lawrence, runs off Andover Street, near the railyard, and the fence behind the two homes backs up to the Walgreens Pharmacy on Broadway.
The portion of Andover Street between Parker Street and Andover Street was closed down by police during the fire.
The neighborhood owns a piece of history. Ferdinand Waldo Demara Jr., better known as the "The Great Imposter," once lived at 18 State St. Demara made international headlines for impersonating a surgeon, teacher, prison guard, monk, college professor and zoologist, all without credentials and using false names. Hollywood made a movie about his exploits starring Tony Curtis called "The Great Imposter."
Damage was worse at 15 State St. The damage at 9 State St. was confined to a three-season room at the back of the house. Three cars parked between the two buildings were also destroyed.
David Lemus, 25, who lives at 9 State St. with his parents Manuel and Laura Lemus, the family dog Maya and two cats, said he was inside the house reading a book, when a neighbor who lives at 15 State St. ran over and yelled "fire, fire."
"I ran outside and saw the fire at the house next door," he said.
At the same time, flames were engulfing the hood of the family's minivan, said David, an electrical engineering student at the University of Massachusetts.
"As soon as I saw the flames I knew this was beyond us, that we couldn't put it out ourselves," he said.
He said he then called 911 and was told several others had already called.
"The fire department got here promptly," he said.
He said there were four or five people living at 15 State St.
When the fire went to a second alarm, firefighters and apparatus from Andover, North Andover and Lowell were called.
"We only have one ladder in service," Bergeron said. "When I got here there were two houses and three cars going."
Manpower during the initial attack on the blaze was a problem, Bergeron said.
"If I had some more people it would have made a big difference," Bergeron said, noting there might have been less damage to the two homes.
At 15 State St. Bergeron said the basic wood frame structure appeared to be in good condition and the building likely could be saved. At 9 State St., the Lemus home, fire damage was confined to a three-season room at the back of the house.
But the house sustained smoke damage throughout and firefighters had to take out many windows in order to vent the smoke from the building.
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