Methuen DPW worker alerts residents of a house fire during storm

METHUEN, Mass. — It was a busy blizzard for Bill Bonanno. “Around 7 o’clock Saturday night we had a cell that went through and it swamped us,” he said.

The longtime Methuen department of public works working foreman spent the day snowplowing. And saving lives. “It’s incredible how lucky we all were for just being in right place at the right time. It was crazy,” he said.

Bonanno was in his snowplow around 6 o’clock Saturday morning when he and a co-worker, while taking a break, spotted a porch on fire across the street. “For us to see that angle and catch that fire it was just crazy and for us to be in there. Normally, we’d be in the route running around and it just happened to be right at the right time,” he said.

Bonanno raced to the house and frantically banged on the front door. He got a woman and a little girl out safely, then as police and firefighters arrived he and several officers ran upstairs to the 3rd floor to wake-up residents and get them out of the house. “They had no idea anything was going on except all of us yelling and screaming in the house trying to get everyone out, find people,” Bonanno said.

All 8 people in the home got out safely as firefighters quickly put out the fire. Methuen Fire Chief Tim Sheehy said the fire was accidental due to the careless disposal of smoking materials. “The crews did a great job knocking that down quick and definitely saved the house and Billy definitely, definitely saved lives,” he said.

Saving lives thanks to some quick-thinking and the rescue of a lifetime. “I’m just glad we were there because otherwise it would have gotten real bad,” Bonanno said.

Bonanno said it was teamwork and credits his co-workers at the DPW, Methuen Firefighters and Methuen Police Officers for all helping get the residents out safely.

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