On Monday morning around 7:20 am, the Rochester Fire Department responded to a structural fire just off Cranberry Highway, Route 28, near the Wareham line.
The fire began at the recycling facility operated by E.L. Harvey & Sons, Inc. Seven engines, Tower 1 and Units 190, 193, 198, 192, 210, initially responded to the call, along with the Rochester Police Department. Upon their arrival, firefighters discovered the fire was mostly contained within a metal compartment used in aluminum recycling. Employees of Harvey had been able to partially contain the fire and reduce its intensity before the engines arrived by flushing the system of some of its garbage, or fuel.
Through the system of mutual aid, assistance had been called upon from both Marion and Mattapoisett. Though while the other Tri-Town’s departments were enroute, their help was called off. Within 20 minutes of Rochester Fire Department’s arrival, the fire had been extinguished.
The prior evening, the RFD had responded to the neighboring town of Freetown’s mutual aid request for a separate structural fire.
By Sam Bishop