WALTHAM, MA - Waltham’s 911 Center received a call at 11:00 A.M. on December 16, 2023, from a woman who said her apartment was on fire. She said she closed herself in the bathroom to avoid the smoke. Engines 1 and 3, Squad 5, Rescue 1, Ladder 2 and Medic 1 were dispatched. The 911 operator told the woman to put a towel out the window so firefighters could find her. When firefighters arrived they found smoke showing, and Deputy Chief Brock Rowland declared a working fire. Firefighters found the three-story building full of smoke. They had to force entry on the second-floor, then proceeded to the third-floor where they found the woman. She was taken to Newton Wellesley Hospital with smoke inhalation. The fire was contained to the drier and the vent, which also caught fire. Firefighters were on the scene for about one hour.