Referring back to that fatal fire in Lowell, Massachusetts, on Sunday morning, I have just learned that three of the first-alarm companies for that box were inactive because of “brown-outs.” Engine 4, Ladder 4 and the Rescue squad were that day’s selection for Lowell’s firehouse roulette.
After viewing those videos posted on STATter911 yesterday (HERE) and seeing that poor soul slip from the firefighters’ grasp back into the fire, you can’t help but wonder if having the first-due truck available would have been enough to get him before the fire did. That old epithet “Seconds count!” has never been more graphically demonstrated than it was on Sunday.
But the Lowell city council shouldn’t feel too badly about it. After all, just look at all the money they saved.
The state fire marshal decided that the fire was started accidentally, but they don’t know what caused it. Ok. Anyway, the once-lovely old apartment building was demolished yesterday.
Update: Fire Department officials are now saying that the fire “likely” started in an overloaded power strip on an upper floor.
NECN image
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“In Fourteen-Hundred, Ninety Two,
Columbus sailed the ocean blue….”
Happy Columbus Day, everybody. The government, schools and banks shut down yesterday so that everybody could get ready for today’s commemoration of the first recognized landing of Europeans in the New World. Yeah, yeah, I know about Leif Erikson, Saint Brendan and all the others who were really here first. But what are we going to do about it? If you’re going to tap some Italian beer, make mine a Peroni.
Now let’s get this equipment checked out. I’m going to get some more coffee started. See you back in the day room.
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