For Immediate Release

Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017

Contact: John Guilfoil
Phone: 617-993-0003
Email: john@jgpr.net

Whitman Fire Department Extinguishes Three-Alarm House Fire

WHITMAN — Fire Chief Timothy J. Grenno reports that the Whitman Fire Department extinguished a three-alarm house fire early this morning.

On Thursday, Sept. 14, at approximately 1:21 a.m., the Whitman Fire Department responded to a residence on Blake Street for a report of a house fire.

Upon arrival, crews were met with heavy flames showing from the front porch and windows on the first floor of a 2 1/2-story home with a large attached barn. All four occupants of the home had safely evacuated prior to firefighters’ arrival thanks to properly functioning smoke detectors.

Firefighters used hose lines to protect the barn while making an interior attack to put out the flames. The fire was extinguished by approximately 5 a.m.

Firefighters from Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, East Bridgewater, Hanover, Hanson, Rockland, and West Bridgewater provided assistance on scene and crews from Brockton provided station coverage during the incident. The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services Rehab Unit and the Whitman Community Emergency Response Team also responded to the scene.

No injuries were reported.

“Thankfully, all of the residents were able to get out of the home safely on their own due to working smoke detectors, which likely saved their lives,” Chief Grenno said. “Fire crews did a great job of working quickly to get this fire under control and prevent it from spreading to the attached structures, and we are grateful for the assistance that our neighboring departments provided.”

Both the first and second floors of the home sustained significant fire damage and the house is currently uninhabitable and the Red Cross is working with the family to find housing. Officials estimate the damages to be approximately $300,000 in damage and losses.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office, as well as the Whitman Fire and Police Departments, but it is believed to have started as a result of discarded smoking material on the exterior porch area.

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