Wednesday, February 18, 2015

THREE FIREFIGHTERS HURT BATTLING BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS MANSION BLAZE. THE COLD WEATHER, THE SIZE OF THE MANSION AND THE CONSTRUCTION TYPE MADE IT DIFFICULT TO FIGHT THE BLAZE. THE CAUSE AND ORIGIN OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.











WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2015 




BROOKLINE, MASSACHUSETTS




Three firefighters were injured yesterday afternoon while battling a three-alarm fire that raced through a sprawling mansion in Brookline, a fire official said.




“The firefighters did a great job under very difficult conditions considering the freezing temperatures, slippery conditions and the thick, heavy smoke they faced upon arrival,” Brookline Fire Department Chief of Operations Robert Ward said. “The fire was moving fast through the third floor and attic area, and the firefighters did a great job to knock it down.”




A resident of the massive 21⁄2 story, 6,300-square-foot colonial manse, built in 1900 and assessed at $3.8 million, reported the fire at 12:04 p.m., Ward said.




One nearby fire hydrant had already been cleared of ice and snow when firefighters arrived on scene, Ward said, but another had to be dug out by first responders, costing crews precious minutes.




Two Brookline firefighters and one member of the Somerville Fire Department suffered minor injuries while battling the blaze, which forced the occupants out into the cold, Ward said.




The size and makeup of the home, Ward said, gave firefighters some trouble.



“What made it difficult was that it was a very well-built home and it had a slate roof, which is not easy to work on — especially in icy conditions,” Ward said.

“Then we had the ceilings, which were lath and plaster, making it very difficult for firefighters to poke through to get to the fire.”




Firefighters from Boston, Cambridge, Newton and Somerville assisted at the scene, Ward said.




The cause of the fire remains under investigation.