Suspicious fire destroys one Randolph home and damages another

 

By Brad Kane

GateHouse News Service

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RANDOLPH —

A fire that officials are calling suspicious destroyed a vacant house on Plain Street and heavily damaged a house next door. The state fire marshal’s office is investigating to determine what caused the fire, which occurred Tuesday afternoon at 14 Plain St. The house at 16 Plain St. was damaged. There were no injuries. No one is living at 14 Plain St., and no one was home at 16 Plain St. Lt. Paul Frew of the Randolph Fire Department said the 119-year-old, two-story, two-family home at 14 Plain St. sustained at least $250,000 worth of damage. He called it “a total loss.”  The town assessors’ Web site lists the owner as Randolph resident Michelle Gomes. She purchased the home for $455,000 in 2005. The value of the home decreased by $54,000 this year, according to the assessors’ Web site.  Gomes could not be reached by phone Tuesday. The house at 16 Plain St. sustained $50,000 to $75,000 in heat and water damage, Frew said. At least one unit in the 5-year-old, two-family home was rendered uninhabitable. The home, owned by Brian Daly, is assessed at $455,000. Daly, did not return a phone call to his home address, which is not 16 Plain St. The Holbrook, Braintree, Avon and Milton fire departments provided assistance at the fire scene. The Weymouth, Stoughton and Canton departments covered the Randolph stations while the fire was being fought.

Brad Kane may be reached at bkane@ledger.com.

For Immediate Release	ContactCHIEF CHARLES D FOLEY JR
NOVEMBER 28, 2008	Phone: 781-961-0991/0992

 

 

HEADQUARTERS

TOWN OF RANDOLPH

MASSACHUSETTS

 

FIRE DEPARTMENT

10 MEMORIAL PARKWAY RANDOLPH, MA 02368-4506

CHARLES D. FOLEY,JR.                                                       BUSINESS 781- 961- 0991

CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT                                                                                                                                                             FAX 781- 961- FIRE (3473)

www.mass.gov/keepwarmkeepsafe

 

 

CHIEF CHARLES D. FOLEY JR. AND STATE FIRE MARSHAL COAN URGE RESIDENTS TO KEEP WARM, KEEP SAFE THIS WINTER

 

RANDOLPH FIRE DEPARTMENT PROMOTES WINTER HEATING SAFETY TIPS THROUGH SIMPLE STEPS

 

RANDOLPH, MA -- As the temperature continues to drop, Randolph Fire Chief Charles D. Foley Jr. and State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan are urging residents to use caution while heating their homes in a new public education campaign, “Keep Warm, Keep Safe.”

 

“These days it is more important than ever to practice safety first when it comes to heating your home,” said Chief Foley. “With the cost of heating fuel on the rise, residents may turn to  space heaters, pellet stoves, or their fireplace more often. For the most part, these alternative heating devices can be safe. However, there are simple steps you can take to safeguard you and your family this winter.”

 

Heating is the second leading cause of fires in the home in Massachusetts. One in ten space heater fires cause a death. Last year, there were 19 fires, three civilian deaths, two civilian injuries and seven fire service injuries attributed to space heater fires statewide.

 

“The winter months are the leading months for home fires and we need to take extra care to protect our families and loved ones,” said State Fire Marshal Stephen D. Coan. “It is important to prepare now to keep warm and keep safe this winter. 

 

The Keep Warm, Keep Safe campaign will include television, radio, transit and web-based public service announcements, printed materials in several languages, and a grassroots outreach effort led by local fire departments. Many retailers have pledged to display educational flyers near space heaters, carbon monoxide alarms and pellet stoves. The Department of Fire Services also convened the state’s first Winter Heating Fire Safety Task Force that includes utility companies, the Attorney General's office, fire departments, the Department of Public Health, the Massachusetts Oilheat Council, the property insurance industry, Community Action programs, local councils on aging, the Salvation Army, the Shriners, and retailers.

 

 

Keep Warm, Keep Safe Continued

 

Space heaters can cause fires if they are placed too close to combustible materials such as drapes, furniture or bedding. Keep anything that can burn three feet away from the space heater and use only heavy-duty extension cords. Install and maintain smoke and carbon monoxide alarms on each floor of your home. Test the alarms once a month and change batteries twice a year. Make sure to check on elderly neighbors regularly in the cold months.

 

If you heat your home by burning solid fuels (coal, firewood, pellets), be careful before, during and after using these kinds of fuels. Have the chimney annually cleaned by a certified professional. Dispose of the ashes in a metal container, with a lid, away from the house – not in the garage or under the porch.

 

Natural gas and fuel oil are both safe and efficient. Make sure to have a professional clean and tune-up your furnace and hot water heater every year. Gas leaks can be poisonous so the gas company adds something to make it smell like rotten eggs. If you suspect a leak move outdoors and immediately contact the local fire department.

 

For more information on winter heating and fire safety, visit www.mass.gov/keepwarmkeepsafe or contact the Randolph Fire Department.