Fire Alarm Run Turns into 4-Alarm Blaze at Hingham, MA, Sports Complex

    June 28, 2025
    Dispatched to a fire alarm activation, Hingham firefighters found heavy fire showing from the South Shore Sports Center.

    Lance Reynolds
    Boston Herald
    (TNS)

    A massive four-alarm fire has caused damage to the South Shore Sports Center in Hingham that officials describe as beyond repair, ripping a community staple away from the region.

    The Hingham Fire Department responded to the 56,400 square-foot building on Recreation Park Drive, near Route 3, Thursday night around 11, after receiving a fire alarm system activation.

    Firefighters “encountered a heavy volume of fire throughout,” upon arrival, battling the harsh flames into the early morning hours. Officials ordered a fourth-alarm at about 3:30 a.m., as multiple surrounding towns provided mutual aid.

    Officials stayed at the scene to contain smoldering hot spots hours after firefighters extinguished the blaze.

    “The building is probably a total loss,” Hingham Deputy Fire Chief David Levenson told reporters at the scene Friday morning. He anticipates the complex having to be demolished.

    The fire’s impact beyond the heavily damaged structure is extensive.

    “It’s been around for 25 years or more,” Levenson said of the Sports Center. “Soccer, basketball, baseball – everything went on here. It’s going to be a loss for the community if they’re unable to rebuild.”

    Accessing enough water to fully extinguish the blaze proved a challenge, Levenson highlighted.

    “The amount of water we were requiring was more than the main could supply,” he said. “We notified the water company. They did what they could to pump up the pressure. You can only give so much.”

    In a social media post on Friday, Hingham Select Board member Bill Ramsey stated the fire department “performed heroically in fighting a large fire under challenging conditions.”

    “I am thankful there were no reported injuries or loss of life,” he added.

    The complex was founded over 25 years ago to “provide our community with a place to play, learn, and celebrate our love of sports,” according to the center’s website.

    “We are a fully-equipped sports center with a mission to develop well-rounded athletes in an environment that’s friendly, laid-back, and enjoyable for all,” it states. “Our goal is to give our players a safe space to grow and flourish in their sport while promoting health, development, and confidence.”

    The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause. The center had closed for the night before the blaze tore through.

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