On June 6th at 18:15 hrs. the Springfield Fire department received a telephone alarm for a reported structure fire at 95 Dawes Street in the Mason Square section of the city.
Upon arrival two minutes later at 18:17 hrs. District Chief James G. McQuade was confronted by an adult occupant who notified him that there may still be children inside the structure that had heavy fire showing on the upper floors.
District Chief McQuade ordered the first arriving engine company from the Mason Square Station, Engine 8 to advance an interior attack line. He then assigned the first due ladder company, Ladder 8 and the Rescue Squad who were also responding from the Mason Square Station to conduct a primary search of the building. Command was notified several minutes later that all occupants were in-fact out of the building.
The intensity of the fire on the third floor eventually forced a retreat from the building due too a collapsing roof hazard. The fire was extinguished without injury to the occupants, firefighters or the surrounding exposures. Unfortunately the fire destroyed most of the occupants personal belongings, the American Red Cross was called in to assist the occupants with temporary housing.
Springfield Arson and Bomb Squad officials blamed smoking materials for this blaze that caused an estimated $80,000 in damage.
