Community Risk

Arson Eyed in Massive Mass. Blaze

Sept. 21, 2015

Firefighters remain on the scene in Havermill following the eight-alarm fire.

Source The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass. (MCT)

A vacant warehouse burns in Haverhill, Mass.

Sept. 21--HAVERHILL -- Arson is suspected as the cause of the 8-alarm fire that destroyed the former Hudson Manufacturing building at 30 Stevens St. Sunday night.

"ArsonWatch" posters were being put up on the ruins of the building this morning and in the surrounding neighborhood, offering a $5,000 reward for information on the fire.

"If you know who did this, call 1-800-682-9229," the poster states. "All calls totally confidential."

Deputy Fire Chief William Laliberty said while the fire is believed to be suspicious, other causes have not been ruled out.

Firefighters were still at the scene this morning hosing down hot spots and also pumping water onto the building at 14 Stevens St. to prevent the fire from spreading.

The former mill had a brick exterior but a wood frame, beams and flooring, which fueled the fire and made it more intense once it got going.

Last Wednesday, firefighters doused a small fire in a pile of debris in the middle of the warehouse floor.

More coming at eagletribune.com.