Massachusetts firefighter, resident injured as local crews battle three fires in 24 hours

STONEHAM, Mass. — A Stoneham firefighter suffered a leg injury and a resident was also injured as crews battled two house fires on Franklin and Gould streets overnight, among three fires in 24 hours, the fire chief said Friday.

Five residents were displaced after the fire on Gould Street, and the American Red Cross of Massachusetts responded to the scene to assist residents, Stoneham Fire Chief Matthew Grafton said in a statement. The home appears to be a total loss.

The fires were the second and third to occur within the 24-hour shift of the department’s Group 1, Grafton said. Firefighters also extinguished a two-alarm blaze that displaced 14 people at an apartment building in town on Thursday afternoon.

An unidentified firefighter suffered a leg injury while battling the Gould Street blaze. The firefighter went onto the home’s roof to ventilate the area, and his leg went through the roof, Grafton said.

No other injuries were reported.

Grafton credited all of Group 1, led by Fire Capt. Dave Eastman and Fire Lt. Rick Darragh, for their response.

“The group was exhausted but pushed through and responded to each fire efficiently and professionally,” said Grafton. “This is the first time since the 1990s that we’ve had more than one multiple alarm fire in 24 hours.”

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Stoneham fire

At approximately 10:10 p.m. Thursday, firefighters responded to 1170 Franklin St. after a resident called 911 to report a fire in his home, Grafton said.

The resident, who tried to smother the fire with towels before evacuating the home, suffered an injury while trying to put out the fire, Grafton said. The resident was evaluated by paramedics and declined to be taken to a hospital.

When crews arrived, they found the fire was mostly out “thanks to the actions of the resident,” Grafton said. Firefighters used extinguishers to ensure the fire was out and that no hot spots remained.

Hours later, at approximately 5:17 a.m., firefighters responded to 36 Gould St. after receiving 911 calls from residents reporting a fire in their home. The residents reported hearing crackling upstairs and that they lost power in part of the home.

When crews arrived, they found heavy smoke showing from the attic of a 2-1/2 story home, Grafton said.

Firefighters from Engine 1 initially entered the home to battle the blaze but found heavy fire in the attic.

With concerns about the home’s structural integrity after a firefighter suffered a leg injury, Stoneham Fire Capt. Dave Eastman ordered firefighters to take a defensive posture and get out of and off the building, the fire chief said.

Crews then used blitz guns and deck guns to knock down the bulk of the flames and reassessed the structure before once again taking an offensive posture and entering the home.

Crews then opened up ceilings on the second floor to attack the fire from below, knocking down all the flames by about 6:15 a.m., Grafton said.

On Gould Street, firefighters from Melrose, Wakefield, Reading, Woburn, Saugus and Winchester provided mutual aid, while firefighters from Medford and Malden covered Stoneham stations. Stoneham Police and Armstrong Ambulance also assisted on scene, and the Stoneham electrical and building inspectors responded as well.

The cause of both fires remain under investigation by the Stoneham Fire Investigation Unit and the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit attached to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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