Letters to the Editor

Stubborn Fire, Contained and Extinguished

Dear Editor:

I read in. another publication, dated Sept. 21, 2018, the article: “Tenants, neighbors, fire officials react to day long blaze; pets still missing” and found the article of particular interest; whereas, I was a Chelsea fire chief for 13 years before retiring in 2003. The article also caught my attention because Chelsea’s Engine 3 and Ladder 2 helped combat the fire.

Comments in the article from a tenant made it sound like the Revere Fire Department spread the fire because they ventilated the roof (the tenant described it as “they accessed the fire through the roof: and he guessed that the fire spread more because of that access point). This same tenant commented about there being only smoke but no fire before the roof ventilation. Well, where there is smoke, there is combustion. Smoke can quickly permeate a building and such smoke may be far from the source of the fire.

I do not know how much firefighting experience this tenant has-but I have 30 years-and I can assure you that ventilation is part of ”The Order of Operations” in structure fires. Ventilation has multiple purposes. Along with making the interior atmosphere and building more tenable, ventilation also serves to remove accumulated smoke, heat and fire gases.

Unfortunately, in spite of ventilation and the gallant effort of firefighters, conditions became unsafe for an interior attack and the correct decision was made to withdraw all firefighters from the structure. Heavy water streams were then placed in service to confine and extinguish the difficult fire.

Some fires are more difficult to extinguish than others and can become time consuming. This maybe because of the structural make up of the building, such as, but not limited to, concealed spaces, no fire stopping, double roof/ceilings, renovations, pipe and electrical chases, and other factors.

Notwithstanding, it is a credit to all the firefighters, who battled his challenging fire that there was no loss of life and the fire was contained to 10 Franklin Ave.

Louis T. Addonizio

Chelsea Fire Chief, retired

 

SEEKS A DEBATE

Dear Editor:

We have serious issues to deal with in this country. Since Katherine Clark is refusing to debate John Hugo she openly admits an unwillingness to discuss these issues in the public forum. It is an elitist politician who refuses debate.

We can do better. Please encourage Katherine Clark to debate John Hugo because it is her job to engage in debate.

Anthony Tamagna

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