News - Stoneham Fire Department

Stoneham Fire Department Extinguishes Flames, Rescues Dog From Burning Home

November 6, 2019 by Jordan Mayblum

Capt. Jim Marshall held the dog outside after Capt. Dave Eastman rescued it from the second floor of a burning home. (Courtesy Photo Stoneham Fire)

Stoneham Firefighters responded to a house fire on North Street on Wednesday. (Courtesy Photo Stoneham Fire)

STONEHAM — Chief Matthew Grafton reports that the Stoneham Fire Department responded to a house fire earlier today.

At 1:49 p.m. the Stoneham Fire Department was dispatched to 164 North St. for a report of a fire after a neighbor alerted a passing Stoneham Police officer to smoke coming from the home. Upon arrival, firefighters immediately struck a second alarm upon observing smoke and flames inside the home.

Stoneham Fire’s Ladder 1 and Engines 3 and 5 responded to the scene, along with mutual aid from the Woburn, Reading, Wakefield, Winchester and Melrose Fire Departments. Firefighters extinguished flames on the first floor of the home and determined that the fire had extended into the walls and into the home’s attic.

Nobody was home at the time of the fire, but firefighters did safely rescue a dog that was found inside on the second floor.

“All of the responding crews did a great job working quickly as a team to bring this incident under control,” Chief Grafton said. “I’m grateful that nobody was hurt, including the family dog who was able to be removed and brought to safety outside.”

A Boston Sparks Rehab Unit also responded to the scene, as did the Stoneham Police Department, Stoneham Department of Public Works and Action Ambulance.

The Medford, Malden and Saugus Fire Departments provided station coverage in Stoneham while firefighters responded to the scene.

The house is currently uninhabitable, and the American Red Cross responded to assist the residents of the single-family home with finding alternative shelter.

The fire is believed to have originated on the first floor of the home, and Stoneham Police and Fire investigators are working in collaboration with the State Fire Marshal’s Office to investigate.

Chief Grafton would like to give his thanks to those who assisted on the call and provided mutual aid and station coverage.

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Stoneham Fire Department Warns of Heavy Rain, High Wind with Coming Storm

October 16, 2019 by Leah Comins

STONEHAM — Fire Chief and Emergency Management Director Matthew Grafton would like to warn residents of the potential for flooding and power outages as a powerful storm makes its way into the region.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has forecasted a powerful coastal storm with heavy rain and high wind gusts that will impact Massachusetts Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

The NWS expects the Stoneham area to get as many as 1.5-3 inches of rain. The heaviest rain is expected between 10 p.m. Wednesday and 6 a.m. Thursday. Wind gusts as high as 45 miles per hour are also predicted. Because many trees are still leaf-covered, strong wind gusts could cause scattered power outages.

“Though there is some uncertainty of the impact of this storm, we encourage residents to be proactive as the storm approaches,” Chief Grafton said. “Residents should prepare for rain and high wind by putting away outside objects that could get blown around, and having battery-operated flashlights and radios available in case of power outages.”

Chief Grafton recommends that residents follow these tips to stay safe before, during and after the storm:

Be sure to have batteries for flashlights and battery-powered lanterns to use in the event of a power outage. If you must use candles, keep them away from anything flammable and do not leave them unattended.
Keep cell phones charged.
If possible, move or secure any outside items that could get blown by heavy wind gusts, such as lawn furniture.
Clear any storm drains of debris that are prone to flooding that may be near your house.
Use extreme caution if you must travel on the roads. NEVER walk through flowing water and NEVER drive through flooded roads.
If you need to use a generator, only use it outside and away from your home to prevent the chance of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Call 911 to report downed power lines. Do not go near or drive over any downed power lines.
If you have an emergency, call 911.

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Stoneham Fire Department Extinguishes Two-Alarm Residential Fire

October 12, 2019 by Leah Comins

One Resident Rescued from Roof Overhang by Responding Stoneham Police Officers

Stoneham firefighters responded to a two-alarm residential fire at 16 Flint Ave. on Saturday afternoon. (Photo courtesy Stoneham Fire Department)

The fire is reported to have started in the kitchen on the first floor of the home on Saturday afternoon. (Photo courtesy Stoneham Fire Department)

Firefighters were able to stop the fire from spreading farther into the rest of the house. (Photo courtesy Stoneham Fire Department)

Mutual aid crews from Woburn assisted Stoneham firefighters at a residential fire on Saturday afternoon. (Photo courtesy Stoneham Fire Department)

STONEHAM — Fire Chief Matthew Grafton and Police Chief James McIntyre report that the Stoneham Fire and Police Departments responded to a two-alarm fire at a home this afternoon.

At approximately 12:25 p.m., Stoneham Group 4 firefighters were dispatched to 16 Flint Ave. for reports of a fire at a single-family residence. Stoneham Engines 2 and 3 and Ladder 1 arrived on-scene and located fire coming from the kitchen on the home’s first floor and smoke coming from all windows.

Before firefighters arrived, a female resident had climbed out of a second floor window and onto the roof overhang. Responding officers from Stoneham Police instructed her to jump from the overhang and she was caught by Officers Stephen Aprile and John Burton. The female resident was the only person in the home at the time of the fire.

A second alarm was struck upon arrival. Crews from the Woburn, Melrose, Wakefield, Winchester and Reading fire departments assisted at the scene. Saugus, Medford and Malden firefighters responded to provide station coverage. Chief Grafton would also like to thank Stoneham’s Department of Public Works and Action Ambulance for their assistance on scene.

Firefighters were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the rest of the house. However, the house sustained heavy damage due to smoke and water. The damages are estimated to be approximately $150,000-200,000.

The family of six who resides in the house was displaced and is being assisted by family and friends in the area.

One dog was rescued from the home and was taken to a veterinarian for evaluation. No firefighters were injured.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Stoneham Fire Department, Stoneham Police Department and State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Firefighters cleared the scene at approximately 2:45 p.m. Saturday.

“Today marks the last day of Fire Prevention Week and the theme for this year covered how important it is for people to have an escape plan to get out of their home,” Chief Grafton said. “The resident who was at home at the time of today’s fire is an excellent example of someone who knew to find an available escape route and got herself safely out of the house as quickly as possible.”

Click here for videos from the scene.

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Melrose Domino’s® and NFPA to Partner with Stoneham Fire Department to Promote Fire Safety

October 9, 2019 by stonehammafdgalla

Melrose Domino’s^® and NFPA to Partner with Stoneham Fire Department to Promote Fire Safety

Local residents may receive free pizza for properly functioning smoke alarms

MELROSE, Mass., Oct. 2, 2019 – Melrose Domino’s, located at 385 Franklin St., and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) are teaming up with Stoneham Fire Department to promote fire safety during Fire Prevention Week (Oct. 6-12). On Oct. 10 from 3-6 p.m., anyone who orders a Domino’s pizza may be randomly selected and surprised at the door when their pizza arrives aboard a fire engine. If the smoke alarms in the home are working, the pizza is free. If the smoke alarms are not working, the firefighters will install fully-functioning alarms or replace the batteries.

“Fire safety is extremely important,” said Dominic Benvenuti, Melrose Domino’s co-franchise owner. “We’re excited to partner with the NFPA and Stoneham Fire Department for a program that not only promotes the safety of our friends and neighbors, but rewards those who make fire safety a priority.”

This year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign theme is “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!”

“In a typical home fire, you may have as little as one to two minutes to escape safely from the time the smoke alarm sounds,” said Matt Grafton, fire chief at Stoneham Fire Department. “Escape planning and practice can help you make the most of the time you have, giving everyone enough time to get out. These steps can make all of the difference and we hope to raise awareness about them through our partnership with Domino’s.”

Customers can call Domino’s in Melrose at 781-665-0049 to place their order and be eligible for the fire engine delivery.

About the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information, visit www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.

About Fire Prevention Week
NFPA has been the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week since 1922. According to the National Archives and Records Administration’s Library Information Center, Fire Prevention Week is the longest running public health and safety observance on record. The President of the United States has signed a proclamation proclaiming a national observance during that week every year since 1925. Visit www.firepreventionweek.org for more safety information.

About Domino’s Pizza^®

Founded in 1960, Domino’s Pizza is the largest pizza company in the world based on retail sales, with a significant business in both delivery and carryout pizza. It ranks among the world’s top public restaurant brands with a global enterprise of more than 16,300 stores in over 85 markets. Domino’s had global retail sales of over $13.5 billion in 2018, with nearly $6.6 billion in the U.S. and more than $6.9 billion internationally. In the second quarter of 2019, Domino’s had global retail sales of over $3.2 billion, with over $1.6 billion in the U.S. and over $1.6 billion internationally. Its system is comprised of independent franchise owners who accounted for 98% of Domino’s stores as of the second quarter of 2019. Emphasis on technology innovation helped Domino’s achieve more than half of all global retail sales in 2018 from digital channels. In the U.S., Domino’s generates over 65% of sales via digital channels and has developed several innovative ordering platforms, including Google Home, Facebook Messenger, Apple Watch, Amazon Echo and Twitter – as well as Domino’s Hotspots®, an ordering platform featuring over 200,000 unique, non-traditional delivery locations. In late 2017, Domino’s began an industry-first test of self-driving vehicle delivery, and in June 2019 announced a partnership with Nuro, furthering its exploration and testing of autonomous pizza delivery.

Order – dominos.com

AnyWare Ordering – anyware.dominos.com

Company Info – biz.dominos.com

Twitter – twitter.com/dominos

Facebook – facebook.com/dominos

Instagram – instagram.com/dominos

YouTube – youtube.com/dominos

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Stoneham Fire Purchases Used Pumper

September 27, 2019 by stonehammafdgalla

The Stoneham Fire Department has purchased a used pumper to be used as a reserve engine. The 2002 pumper that was manufactured by Pierce on a Saber chassis was recently removed from front line service in Cambridge and was available to purchase at just the right time. Engine 4’s 1989 E-One pumper had suffered several major mechanical failures that forced it to be permanently removed from service. The cost of repairs would have exceeded the value of the 30 year old engine. Emergency funds were approved to purchase this pumper from Cambridge due to the need to replace Engine 4 as soon as possible. Engine 4, Stoneham’s only reserve engine, was utilized frequently to run in place of a front line piece of apparatus when it was out of service for maintenance, for details requiring an engine company, and back-filled during fires and other events.

In addition to being 13 years newer, the Cambridge engine is in excellent condition and was thoroughly looked over by both the department’s Firefighter-Mechanic and the town’s Master Mechanic. They were impressed with the condition of the truck and how well maintained it was. The engine, designated as Stoneham Engine 5, is equipped with a 1250 GPM pump and 500 gallon water tank and is ready to respond to any emergency when needed. Chief Matthew Grafton would like to extend his sincere apprecation to the Cambridge Fire Department in helping Stoneham acquire this much needed engine.