Reading, MA 6+ Alarm - 52 Sanborn St - 6/1/17

Reading firefighters were dispatched to a fire alarm activation in the early afternoon of June 1st 2017 at 52 Sanborn St, the Schoolhouse Condos. Dispatched to box 1121 were Engines 1 and 2, Ladder 1 and Paramedic 1 under the command of C5, Captain Phil Boisvert.

On arrival, companies had nothing showing from a large 4 story brick building, a former school turned condo building. Firefighters were met at the door by residents who reported a smell of something burning on floor 4. As crews made it to floor 4, they encountered smoke in the hallways and discovered an active fire in one of the top floor apartments. A 2nd alarm, followed in short order by both the 3rd and 4th alarms were requested bringing in additional manpower from multiple surrounding communities.

Firefighters encountered a heavy fire condition spreading rapidly into the high loft areas of the top floor apartment, into an adjacent apartment and into the roofline. For a brief time, a mayday was transmitted but cleared as firefighters were able to back out just as an evacuation order was given. When mutual aid companies began to arrive, ladder trucks from North Reading, Lynnfield, Burlington and Medford were put into operation with aerial master streams along with Reading’s Ladder 1.

As the fire grew in intensity, the 5th and 6th alarms were requested by Chief of Department Greg Burns along with special calls for additional ladder trucks, Somerville Tower 1 and Boston Ladder’s 1 and 3. Crews were tied up for an extensive timeframe, mainly in a defensive operation. Attempts were made several times to go back inside only to be met with heavy fire conditions and structural instability, which only forced crews to evacuate each time. It wasn’t for several hours that the fire was knocked down enough to start releasing some of the mutual aid resources.

All told, mutual aid from over 15 area cities either worked the fire or covered at one of Reading’s 2 fire stations. Several agencies also provided support and relief services on scene including from the Boston Spark’s Association, Mass Department of Fire Services, the Red Cross and Armstrong Ambulance to name a few.

Reading firefighters remained on scene well into the night with the last of the covering companies able to get released between 1:30 and 2am. A fire watch was on scene for the remainder of the overnight and well into the following day. The entire building is uninhabitable at this time, leaving multiple families in need of temporary living accommodations. As of right now, a cause is still under investigation by Reading Fire, Reading Police and the State Fire Marshal’s office.

** On a personal level, I'd like to congratulate C5, Captain Phil Boisvert on his retirement after 34 years on the Reading Fire Department. He was due to walk out the door the final time at 17:30 the very afternoon of this fire. He was able to strike the first 4 of the 6+ alarms this fire required. Retiring firefighters dream to go out in a way he did and its only fitting that he would go out with a fire like this. Thank you for all you've done for the RFD and for the many delightful conversations over the years. I may not be one of your "brother" firefighters but you always treated me with the level of kindness and respect as if I was. You will be missed my friend.