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DOUGLAS, MA – Fire Dispatch toned out companies to respond to 156 Maple Street for a reported chimney fire around 12:20 a.m. on December 20, 2009 during the beginning of a nor’ easter blizzard. Several inches of snow had already fallen on the area as the alarm of fire was struck. As the on duty crew responded with six personnel, fire dispatch radioed that the home owner is now reporting that the house is involved. A Douglas Police Officer reported that he was on scene confirming a working dwelling fire.

The occupants were safely outside the structure as the first due units arrived. Hand lines were stretched into operation through the “D” side entrance into a 30x20 addition. Firefighters encountered heavy smoke, fire, and heat and had to withdraw due to the rapid spread of the fire. The fire was soon advancing to the second floor and through the roof of the addition impinging on the main dwelling.

The lack of a water supply hampered firefighters for a short while as tankers were placed into a water shuttle operation. A drop tank was placed at the intersection of Monroe and Maple Streets and Uxbridge Engine 2 feed Douglas through a 5” LDH line to the dwelling. A tanker shuttle operation was placed into operation via several nearby Massachusetts and Rhode Island fire departments.

Heavy snow and wind hampered firefighters using six lines on all sides of the dwelling attempting to knock down the heavy fire. The entire roof line of the main dwelling and addition were well involved in fire at this time. Side “C” of the dwelling was now completely involved and started to collapse inwards.

The bulk of the heavy fire was knocked down around 3:30 a.m. with several hours of wetting down hot spots to follow. The building was a total loss due to the heavy fire damage.