ATTLEBORO CITYWIDE NEWS

Fatal Fire in East Providence

EAST PROVIDENCE- A fire broke out this morning in a 2 1/2 story residential dwelling at 45 Peck Avenue in the city's Riverside section just after 6:00am. 1 person was rescued from the second floor by firefighters and transported to the hospital. Another person was located in the building and was reported to be dead on the scene. Mutual aid was called in to assist East Providence firefighters in battling the blaze. The fire is under investigation by East Providence Fire and Police departments and the State Fire Marshall's office. This is a breaking story and Attleboro Citywide News will bring you updates as more information becomes available.

Update 2/1/08: Officials have released the name of the man killed in the Peck Avenue fire yesterday. He is identified as 42 year old James Marinelli of East Providence. His mother was rescued from the fire by firefighters and is still being treated at Rhode Island Hospital. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

New Feature For Attleboro Citywide News

In an effort to bring you the lastest and best in breaking internet news coverage, Attleboro Citywide News will try to provide previously recorded live audio of the incidents it covers. This will allow the blog viewer the chance to listen to the events as they unfolded. Please be advised that this is in the trial stages and audio may not be available for all incidents. Thanks for your continued support of Attleboro Citywide News.

Use the link below for a sample of the upcoming audio feature.

Click Here for Audio  (Providence Fire Dept. Still Box)

Click Here for Another Audio Sample (Providence Fire ACW 440 North Main St.)

ATV Falls Through Ice, Operators Escape Injury

NORTH ATTLEBORO- Around 2:30 pm Sunday afternoon North Attleboro Fire and Police Departments received a call of 2 ATV's fallen through the ice on Bungay Lake. The caller, calling from the Weona Road side of the lake, reported seeing the operators get out safely but the departments proceeded to investigate until they could get confirmation. After a investigation of about 20 minutes 1 ATV was confirmed though the ice and the father and son operators were located by fire department units at 320 Oakridge Avenue. Neither required medical attention and NAPD units were called in to investigate. 1 engine, 1 ladder,1 rescue and Incident Commander Capt. R. Meyer in Car-3 responded to the scene for the fire department.

Statewide News: 6 Fire Deaths In Last 10 Days

Massachusetts- In an unusual and tragic twist 6 people have died in separate fires in eastern Massachusetts within the last 10 days. The tragic deaths have occurred from Danvers, where a couple was killed in their home on January 16th, to Wellesley, where an elderly woman was killed in her Halsey Avenue home last evening during a 2 alarm fire started by a space heater. In between a Rockland woman perished in a blaze on Wednesday afternoon in her Centre Ave home and another elderly woman passed away early Friday morning in a fire in Newton. In the Newton fire the woman was rescued by heroic firefighters but later had a heart attack and died. In addition a woman was killed in a 2 alarm fire in Eastham on Cape Cod late in the evening of January 20.

All of the fires are under investigation with all appearing to be accidental, except the fire in Rockland, where officials expressed some concern as to the circumstances of the blaze. The Danver's fire was deemed to have been an electrical problem and the lack of working smoke detectors in the home definitely contributed to the death of the occupants, according to Deputy Chief Kevin Farrell of the Danvers Fire Department.

Attleboro Citywide News and all fire departments remind, homeowners and apartment dwellers alike, that working smoke detectors within the residences are a priority. Proper operation of space heaters is also imperative if they must be used. It is a fact that the United States has one of the worst fire death rates in the world. In spite of a multitude of public safety awareness campaigns on fire safety and prevention, ignorance and indifference still play a large part in poor attitudes toward fire safety in this state and across the country.

LETS ALL WORK AGAINST THIS RECENT TREND AND TAKE A POSITIVE APPROACH TO FIRE SAFETY IN OUR HOMES,WITH THE MINIMUM PROTECTION OF AT LEAST WORKING SMOKE DETECTORS AND CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS IN EVERY HOME.

Cruiser Rammed During Stop, Subject Taken Into Custody

ATTLEBORO-  An Attleboro Police cruiser was damaged by another vehicle during a motor vehicle stop shortly after 10:30 pm Monday evening. The incident took place in the South End on May Street in the area of Washington Street. While on routine patrol the police unit came upon a car wanted for erratic operation in North Attleboro. The officer's cruiser was rammed by the offending vehicle while in the process of being stopped. The officer was able to apprehend the subject, Joseph Tavares, and place him into custody. The officer was not injured. Police supervisors were called to the scene as standard procedure. Extra units searched the area for possible persons that were also in the vehicle prior to the alleged accident. Attleboro Citywide News will update the story as more information become available.

Update 1/22/08: The alleged offender, Joseph Tavares, was charged with a number of motor vehicle offenses along with assaulting a police officer. He was arrainged in Attleboro District Court this morning.

3 Multiple Alarm Fires Overnite in MA

Massachusetts firefighters were kept busy during the overnite as 3 separate fires in different corners of the state damaged several structures and left many homeless.

2 Alarms in Brockton

BROCKTON- Firefighters in this city went to work around 2:00am this morning as they responded to an occupied 2 1/2 story house at 356 North Warren Street. Fire companies had heavy fire showing from the structure as they arrived and struck 2 alarms to battle the fire which extended from the 2nd floor to the 3rd floor.

Worcester 3rd Alarm

WORCESTER- Heavy fire conditions greeted the Worcester jakes as they rolled up to a vacant structure this morning around 3:00am at 45 Lancaster Street. The fire spread to an adjoining 3 story structure at 47 Lancaster Street before being brought under control. The original fire building collapsed from extensive damage.

  (Photo by Ken LaBelle)

Click Here for Ken LaBelle's fireground photos from the Worcester 3rd Alarm courtesy of NRIFirePhotos.com

Click Here for Worcester Telegram and Gazette Story

Chelsea Strikes 2 Alarms

CHELSEA- Chelsea Fire Dept. went to work around 5:30 this morning battling a fire in a an another occupied 2 1/2 story single family house at 34 Lambert Ave. Crews had heavy fire on arrival and required mutual aid to bring the fire under control.

Breaking Statewide News: 7 Alarm Fire in Lawrence Destroys 13+ Buildings

LAWRENCE- An early morning fire today in vacant club caused a massive inferno within a residential neighborhood in the City of Lawrence. The fire was reported by a passing ambulance crew and grew to 7 alarms with over 100 firefighters fighting the blaze. The fire destroyed virtually an entire city block. The State Fire Marshall, Steven Coan, is on scene and an investigation has begun. Check out the following links for more information.

(Photo by Carl Russo: Lawrence Eagle Tribune)

Click Here for Ken LaBelle's Photos from the Scene

Click here for Providence Citywide Story

Boston Herald Story

Fox25 Story

Channel 5 Story with video

Smokey Carpet Fire Fails to Alert Resident

ATTLEBORO- An occupant of a downtown apartment was rescued Saturday night just before 9:30 pm as Attleboro firefighters responded to 15 North Main Street for a call of the smell of smoke in the building with alarms sounding. As crews made their way up to apartment 23 on the third floor of the multi story, apartments over commercial, building they confirmed the initial call of smoke and alarms in an apartment and requested forcible entry tools and a water can. As entry was made a heavy smoke condition in the apartment was encountered and Engine 1 Capt. K. Jackson began searching the apartment for any residents. An occupant was found sleeping on a living room couch and the operating detectors had failed to wake him. Capt. Jackson pulled the occupant out into the hallway where he was treated by the paramedics of Rescue 1. He was transported to Sturdy Hospital for evaluation.  Deputy Chief E. Greve determined that the fire originated and was confined to a small area of carpet inside the doorway, the cause being accidental. Crews remained on scene for 30 minutes ventilating the building. 2 engines,1 ladder and 1 rescue along with the Deputy Chief responded.

(Above: Atleboro crews work at 15 North Main Street)

Wood Stove Keeps All Companies Working In North Attleboro

NORTH ATTLEBORO-  A  malfunctioning wood burning stove kept North Attleboro Fire crews busy for the second time in as many weeks. At approx. 12:45 this morning the North Attleboro Fire Department responded to 743 High Street on the Cumberland, Rhode Island line for a report of a wood stove fire possibly extended to the basement level. Upon arrival Car 3, Capt. Scott Meyer, reported "smoke showing" from the dwelling and instructed Engine 5 to stretch a line to the basement level. Once in the basement Engine 5 Lt., Mitch Meyer, found no fire but a heavy smoke condition due to combustibles stored to close to the stove. The entire structure required ventilation due to a heavy smoke condition. 2 Engines, 1 Ladder and Rescue 2 responded along with Car 3. The occupants were checked for injuries and the exact cause remains under investigation at the time of this post.

South End Accident Leads to OUI Arrest

ATTLEBORO- An  minor accident around noon today lead to the arrest of a man for operating under the influence. The accident took place at the intersections of Washington Street and Carleton Street in South Attleboro. One subject pulled into the Mon Kou Restaurant parking lot and the other subject pulled into another parking lot on the west side of Washington Street. After an investigation by patrolman Joseph Enegren  the subject was placed under arrest and his car was towed. Neither party was injured.

(Above: The Attleboro Police investigate the accident)