Revere, MA - 4th Alarm, 70 Bellingham Ave, 1-23-04

Shortly after 4:00 AM on January 23rd 2004, Revere MA Fire Department received a call for a house fire at 70 Bellingham Ave. Box 421 was struck, and Engine 3, Engine 1, Engine 5, Ladder 1, and the Deputy Chief were dispatched. Shortly after, multiple phone calls starting flooding the Revere 911 center. Engine 3 arrived first, and reported smoke showing. A Working fire was called and companies began to make an attack. Several hydrants were frozen and unusable, which complicated the situation. Conditions in the house grew worse, and the Deputy Chief ordered the second alarm. The building was of balloon frame construction, and the fire had already gotten into the walls and burned to the upper floors before the fire department had gotten there. Later on in the fire, 3rd and 4th alarms were stuck by Revere Chief of Department Eugene Doherty. An extra engine was called to the scene for brand patrol duties. Burning embers were flying into the air, and landing on nearby Endicott Ave. Revere was assisted by more than a dozen departments that responded to the fire, and covered the Revere stations. Firefighters had to deal with extreme cold temperatures in the teens and single digits. Ice quickly formed on all surfaces, and made movement on the fireground difficult. Many hose lines and ladders were frozen in place. After the fire was knocked down, companies had to go through a long process of overhauling. Revere companies remained on scene for most of the day, and the frozen Revere ladder trucks were finally thawed out and returned around 3:30 PM. Note: Prints not available for this, as these are scanned 35 mm pictures.