On September 2, 2004, Somerville, Massachusetts firefighters responded to a fast moving, three-alarm fire at a home on Willow St. that took the life of a worker who was working inside the house.
Firefighters arrived on scene to find a large 2 1/2-story, wood frame house with heavy fire conditions on the top floor. A second alarm was transmitted on arrival and EMS was requested to respond for three burn victims that were at the front of the building.
The incident commander transmitted the third alarm shortly after arrival on scene due to the heavy volume of fire and the possibility of trapped occupants.
EMS transported the three burn victims to local hospitals while firefighters on scene made an aggressive interior attack until the were ordered to evacuate the building. After the main body of fire had been knocked down, companies discovered the body of a worker near the front door who had not made it out from the fire.
It was reported that the crew, who was refinishing floors on the third floor became trapped when chemicals used in the refinishing process may have ignited, trapping the workers in a fire ball.
The fire is under investigation by Somerville fire, police, and the state fire marshals office.
