Dudley, MA – Firefighters held most of the damage from a 3rd alarm fire to an outbuilding Sunday afternoon. Local, State, and Federal agencies are investigating the cause.
At approximately 3:40 PM on Sunday, September 1st, 2024, a 1st alarm was struck for a reported building fire at 120 Schofield Ave, the building is primarily occupied by Rampco Construction Co Inc.
According to Deputy Chief Paul Konieczny, Dudley Fire Department, the first unit arrived on the scene at 3:45 PM and confirmed a working fire in an attached outbuilding on side C (rear from the road) of the ~34,000 sqft commercial building. The initial crews immediately began an exterior attack utilizing three 2.5″ handlines and one blitz fire gun.
As the exterior attack began, next-due companies tied into hydrants located approximately 400′ before and after the driveways to the property. Due to the building being set back ~250′ from the road, crews were required to utilize nearly 1000′ of Large Diameter Hose (LDH) from both hydrants to get water to the apparatus operating at the back of the building. As mutual aid companies arrived on the scene, an engine was placed at each hydrant to augment the water pressure being sent to the scene and to protect the hydrant system from water hammers, which run the risk of causing a water main rupture leaving the hydrant network inoperable.
Once crews had the bulk of the exterior fire knocked down, three additional 1.75″ handlines were deployed into the building to attack a small amount of fire that extended within. Crews worked for approximately 2 hours chasing hotspots inside the building as the fire became deep-seated within the insulation and several more hours extinguishing hotspots within the outbuilding. The structure, formerly used as a trucking depot, is largely compartmentalized with several garage bays on the B and D (left and right from the road) sides and a central platform running through the center, it is unclear how many bay doors were open at the time of the fire.
Vehicles and combustibles related to operating and maintaining large vehicles are stored inside the building. The fire does not appear to have involved any of these vehicles or combustibles stored within. The company is reportedly known to be conscientious of maintaining currency of permits and safety measures regarding combustibles stores within.
The fire went to 3 alarms bringing in numerous mutual aid companies from Massachusetts and Connecticut. Deputy Chief Konieczny explained the decision to escalate to this alarm level was to provide additional apparatus for the water supply and additional manpower. With the high heat and humidity, crews constantly needed to rest and rehabilitate as they fought the fire.
Throughout the fire, a Webster EMS Paramedic unit stood by on the scene. One firefighter was transported to an area with non-life-threatening injuries, likely due to a heat-related injury.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Dudley Police Department, Massachusetts State Fire Marshals Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). While the reason for ATF’s involvement is currently unclear, any fire that affects inter-state commerce falls within their preview even if arson is not immediately suspected.
Agencies that responded, or were dispatched, included the Dudley Fire Department, Dudley Police Department, Webster Fire Department, Webster EMS, Auburn Fire Department, Quinebaug Volunteer Fire Department, East Putnam Fire Department, Southbridge Fire Department, Charlton Fire Department, Douglas Fire Department, Sutton Fire Department, Oxford Fire Department, Community Fire Company, Special Signal Association Providence Canteen, Massachusetts State Fire Marshals Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
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Great job to all involved on the Schofield ave fire at Rampco.