Honestly, it’s been a rough 24 hours for first responders across the Commonwealth. If you've been smelling smoke or seeing those massive plumes on your commute, you aren't imagining things. We’ve seen two major incidents—one in Bourne and another in Chelsea—that have kept crews working through the night.
What happened at the Bourne woodworking shop?
Early Wednesday morning, a massive four-alarm blaze tore through a woodworking business at 150 State Road in Bourne. It wasn't just a small kitchen fire; this thing was huge.
The building was filled with flammable chemicals, paints, and varnishes. That's a nightmare scenario for any fire department. Bourne Fire Chief David S. Pelonzi and State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine eventually tracked down the cause.
Oily rags.
It sounds like something out of a safety video you'd watch in high school, but it’s a very real chemical reaction called spontaneous combustion. Basically, the oils in stains and varnishes release heat as they dry. If you pile those rags up under a workbench, that heat gets trapped. Eventually, it hits the ignition point.
The fire started beneath a workbench in a finishing booth. By the time the central station alarm went off, smoke was already pouring out. It escalated fast. First to a second alarm, then a third, and finally a fourth.
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About a dozen local departments had to jump in to help. Because of all the chemicals inside, the District 1 Hazmat team was called in to check the air. Luckily, they didn't find any toxic threats to the neighbors, but it took six hours to get the flames under control.
The Chelsea neighborhood disaster
While Bourne was dealing with industrial chemicals, Chelsea was dealing with a tight-knit residential disaster on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning.
A massive fire broke out on Cottage Street. This one was scary because the buildings are so close together. Chelsea Fire Chief Jon Quatieri reported that the fire started in one multi-family home and immediately jumped to the building next door.
The damage was brutal:
- The rear staircase of the primary building totally collapsed.
- The roof began to sag and cave in before crews could kill the flames.
- Side walls on the second and third floors were basically incinerated.
Seven people are now homeless. Their building is a total loss. Firefighters actually had to be ordered out of the building at one point because it became too dangerous to stay inside. They ended up having to hack away at the back of the structure just to reach the hotspots.
Why the big fire in Massachusetts today matters for safety reforms
All of this is happening right as Governor Maura Healey is pushing for major safety changes. You might remember the Gabriel House tragedy in Fall River—that was the state’s deadliest fire in forty years.
On Monday, the Governor's office announced a wave of reforms for assisted living facilities. We're talking annual inspections signed off by local fire departments, mandatory evacuation drills, and a statewide database so families can see compliance records.
It’s a bit of a wake-up call. Whether it’s an industrial shop in Bourne or a triple-decker in Chelsea, the margin for error is incredibly thin.
Staying safe in the current conditions
The Massachusetts Department of Fire Services is pretty much shouting from the rooftops right now about winter fire safety. It’s cold, it’s dry, and people are using space heaters or fireplaces more often.
If you're doing any DIY projects at home, please, for the love of everything, don't just toss oily rags in a pile. Put them in a metal can with water and a tight lid. That one little step could literally save your neighborhood.
Also, check your detectors. Most of the recent tragedies in the state involved homes where smoke alarms either weren't working or weren't there at all.
Actionable Safety Steps:
- Store any rags used with oil-based stains in a water-filled metal container.
- Ensure you have a working smoke detector on every single level of your home, especially inside bedrooms.
- Keep at least three feet of space around any portable heaters.
- If you live in a multi-family home, make sure you know at least two ways out of the building that don't involve the main stairs.
The investigation into the Chelsea fire is still ongoing, but the Bourne incident is a closed case of accidental combustion. Stay safe out there.