Mass. Investigators Look For Cause of Factory Fire

State and local fire investigators continue to look for the cause of a fire that destroyed the former N.D. Cass Toy Co. factory.

The factory burned to the ground in a spectacular blaze Thursday night that was fought by more than 100 firefighters from as far away as Greenfield and Deerfield to the west and Princeton to the east. Investigators from the state fire marshal's office and Athol Fire and Police departments were at the fire scene yesterday morning looking to determine the cause.

The fire was one of the worst in the town's history, but could have been worse. Siding blistered off six homes, but none burned as firefighters braved the heat to keep hosing them down while their colleagues battled a conflagration 20 feet away at the factory. The 200-foot-long factory building on Canal Street was consumed by the fire, which was brought under control by 10 p.m.

Fire Chief Thomas Lozier said the factory was only being used for storage. A sandblasting business that was using it closed last year.

He pointed to the effort by firefighters to save several nearby homes.

"I can't say enough about them," he said. "We had to take our focus from the fire to protect the house. They stood in the heat and stood their ground."

Chief Lozier said he had firefighters inside the house closest to the fire prepared to go to work if the building burst into flames. Meanwhile, trucks from throughout the region poured tons of water onto the houses and the factory. One Athol firefighter suffered a knee injury. He was treated at Athol Memorial Hospital and released.

Chief Lozier said that at the time the fire broke out, he was in Orange with Orange Fire Chief Dennis Annear discussing the possible creation of a new fire district. He said he was the first on the scene. He saw fire in the middle of the building toward the back, but also smoke coming out of all sides. He said he knew the fire was about to move quickly. He called a second alarm.

"I knew it was coming," he said. "It got pretty intense for a while."

The chief said that, although he was familiar with the layout of the building, there was no question of fighting the fire from inside. The floors are permeated with lacquer and paint used in manufacturing. He knew a fire would spread so quickly there would be little anyone could do to stop it. The chief immediately ordered firefighters to set up outside and try to contain the fire. Canal Street was closed as the fire raged along three quarters of the length of it, setting telephone poles and lines on fire. The fire set off several explosions as propane tanks and transformers blew up. Hundreds of people watched the fire, one of the largest in the town's history.

Chief Lozier said he could not say it was the largest, but it was on par with the fire in 1996 that destroyed the N.D. Cass warehouse on South Athol Road. The warehouse fire not only destroyed the large warehouse, but also a private home and damaged six other houses.

Several cars and trucks behind the complex were destroyed.

Also, a boat nearby appeared to be damaged by the flames. Information about the owner and building contents was unavailable.

The chief's brother, retired Chief Leon Lozier, was at the fire scene yesterday as a civilian. He recalled the warehouse fire, which he said was the last large fire he handled as chief before retiring.

"This is Tom's first," he said, "Both Cass buildings."

Chief Thomas Lozier was appointed late last year to replace Chief James Wright, who stepped down to take another job in firefighting.

The N.D. Cass Co. closed in 1997. Chief Lozier said the factory was more than 100 years old. It was built in 1896. He said he worked in the building as a teenager.

"They employed a lot of kids from Athol to make toys at Christmastime," he said.