North Reading Fire Department and Mutual Aid Partners Extinguish Structure Fire

NORTH READING — The North Reading Fire Department and mutual aid partners worked together to extinguish a fire in a Haverhill Street home on Sunday morning. 

On Sunday, Jan. 11, at approximately 6:20 a.m., the North Shore Regional 9-1-1 Center received a 911 call from a homeowner reporting a fire in her home at 235 Haverhill St.

North Reading Police were first on scene. Officers ensured no one was in the home and rescued a dog from the fire. 

North Reading Engine 2 — crewed by Acting Capt. Sean O’Brien and Firefighters Chris Jacobson, Jason Tannian, and Steve Yobaccio — were the first firefighters to arrive on scene, and they discovered fire showing from the home’s living room. 

Acting Capt. O’Brien ordered a working fire, which brought mutual aid from Middleton and Wilmington to the fire scene, along with North Reading Engine 1 and Ladder 1. Chief Don Stats and Deputy Chief Matt Carroll also responded to the scene. 

The crew of Engine 2 stretched a hose line and made an aggressive interior attack on the fire, containing it to the living room. Firefighters were able to rescue a cat from the fire, but another cat was killed and a third remains missing. 

Firefighters were on scene until about 9:30 a.m. overhauling the home, which suffered fire damage in the living room and smoke damage throughout. 

One resident was displaced. She is being assisted by neighbors, the North Reading Council on Aging and the American Red Cross of Massachusetts. 

The Rehab 5 truck provided rehabilitation to firefighters at the scene, and Cataldo EMS had an ambulance on standby. 

Firefighters from Reading and Wakefield covered North Reading stations. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the North Reading Fire Department. 

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