MARLBOROUGH – A two alarm fire tore through a single family home in the core section of the city on the afternoon of Aug. 5.
The Marlborough Fire Department was already out on other incidents when the fire was reported for 16 Brown Street. The first alarm was struck at 4:53 p.m., with Engine 1, Engine 2, Engine 3, Rescue 1, Squad 1, Tower 1 and Car 5 in response. Assistant Chief Jeff Gogan also responded to the fire.
Battalion Chief Eric Christensen was the first to arrive and reported heavy smoke and fire. The neighborhood is one of the oldest streets of the city and is congested with homes very close to one another.
The heat from the fire was so intense that the vinyl siding of the home of 12 Brown Street was melted and the underlying wood was heavily charred. Firefighters stretched a hose line to protect that exposure while other firefighters attacked the fire in the building of origin.
Due to rapidly deteriorating conditions, the firefighters were withdrawn and defensive operations began.
A second alarm was struck at 5:19 p.m. bringing mutual aid from Hudson, Southborough, Northborough and Sudbury. Framingham and Westborough provided mutual aid coverage at Marlborough’s fire stations.
At one point in the fire, flammable gases produced by the fire on the first floor ignited, causing a fireball to erupt through a window and the front door while defensive operations were in progress.
Once the main body of fire was knocked down, fire crews re-entered the structure to finish extinguishing the fire and overhaul, which calls for opening up the walls and ceilings to find hidden pockets of fire.
The all out was sounded at 11:16 p.m. Firefighters went back to the home at 3:24 a.m. on Sunday because there was a flare up. Hudson covered Marlborough’s station at that time.
The cause of the fire is undetermined and is under investigation.
Two firefighters were transported to Marlborough Hospital by Patriot EMS for evaluations for minor injuries.
