In the afternoon on Friday, January 30, 2004, the Pepperell, Massachusetts Fire Department was called to a report of smoke coming from a garage.
Upon arrival, Engine 5 reported heavy smoke coming from the basement garage of a 2-1/2 story woodframe construction. Car 1 immediately requested a 1st alarm, bringing all Pepperell apparatus and available firefighters, along with Groton, Massachusetts and Hollis, New Hampshire in for station coverage. Car 1 also requested a special call for Townsend, Massachusetts to respond to the scene for manpower.
Due to the very fast response, fire damage was limited to the car in which the fire originated. However there was moderate to heavy smoke damage to all floors. Two firefighters were treated by Pepperell EMTs at the scene for minor burns.
The house, which is less than a year old, belongs to a local police officer who was not home at the time.
Pepperell Fire Department is an oncall service with 2 stations, 50 firefighters and 20 EMTs, serving a town of 23 square miles, with 11,000 residents.
