40B Housing Fire Under Investigation (Updated)

Just before 6:30 pm the Marion Fire Department was called to a structure fire at the Marion Village Estates 40B housing development off of Front Street behind the BrewFish.

The first calls into 911 came from contractors already there working at one of the housing complexes, with one reporting “a fire in the building and tons of smoke.”

The first police officer on the scene reported black smoke billowing out from the building and a second alarm was sounded to increase the response to the scene. Mutual aid was called from Mattapoisett, Rochester and Wareham to help fight the fire.

The building, which measures approximately 100 feet by 150 feet was under construction and was nearing completion.

At just past 7:00 pm the command on scene called for an evacuation of the building of all firefighting personnel for safety reasons.

At 7:20 the Marion Fire Department called for a third alarm and requested aid from the Plymouth County.

Weather conditions were windy and extremely cold with a subzero wind chill factor.

A press release issued by the Marion Fire Department on Friday, February 20 says the cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Marion Fire Department, Marion Police, the State Fire Marshall’s Office, and the Massachusetts State Police Crime Scene Services.

Town Administer Paul Dawson said on Friday that no foul play is suspected as of noontime that day, and the source of the fire might possibly have been a propane source related to the construction left at the property; however, the actual cause has still not been determined.

Two of the housing units at the 40B affordable housing development are a total loss, said Dawson, and several units have been damaged by smoke and water, which froze into ice. Quick response by the Marion Fire Department and surrounding towns, Dawson added, minimalized property damage.

According to Marion Deputy Chief Joseph Dayton, at the height of the fire there was in excess of 60 firefighters working at the scene.

“I had some real moments of anxiety,” said Board of Selectmen Chairman Jonathan Henry, who was out of town attending a conference we he received word of the fire. “There’s a lot of local interest in getting in there…so it would be a fate worse than I can imagine to see that burn down…. These things have an impact on the town and we have more than just a passing interest in that.”

By Paul Lopes and Jean Perry

 

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