Belmont Fire Log: Gas Leak in Concord Avenue Offices

Not on the menu

April 9 – At 8:20 a.m., a command car rushed over the one block to the Stone Hearth Pizza on Leonard Street in Belmont Center for an alarm going off. Turns out it was a small fire confined to the pan. The place was ventilated with the help from the crew from Ladder 1. 

An unfortunate scheduled event

April 9 – A few minutes after 1 p.m., Ladder 1 was sent to a building in the Hill Estates to help remove residents stuck in a stalled elevator. It's not the first time fire crews have had to rescue people from a faulty elevator and probably not the last.

Waverley Square event

April 9 – It was just past 9:30 p.m. when Engine 1 was sent to a location on lower Lexington Street for a gas leak. The gas company was called when the crew thought the incident was serious enough to be reported. 

On the border line

April 10 – Just before half past 10 p.m., Engine 2 was sent to the town line with Cambridge on Concord Avenue near Temple Beth El for a report of arcing electrical wires. On arrival the firefighters found a wire from a light pole sparking in the nearby trees. Belmont Municipal Light Department was called and responded and was given to responsibility to handle the repair.

Gas leak in office building

April 11 – Half 'till noon, Engine 2 and Ladder 1 was sent to an office building at 375 Concord Ave. near the Mobile service station to investigate the inside odor of natural gas. Belmont Police, which was on scene prior to BFD's arrival, reported that gas was in the building. The Engine 2 crew detected an odor in the first floor hallway and struck the Fire Alarm box for more assistance from Engine 1 and Rescue 1. Building occupants told the crews that a work crew was on the roof making repairs. Ladder firefighters was sent to the roof while personnel from Rescue 1 assisted the Engine 2 crew with a check of the building and Engine 1 checked the street and surrounding buildings.

The Belmont Building Department was asked to respond to the scene. Engine 2 and Rescue 1 reported to command that the building was unoccupied and the odor was localized in the first-floor hallway and basement stairwell. Ladder 1 reported that the crew working on the roof had evacuated and normal readings were displayed by the firefighter's detection equipment on the roof. Engine 2 shut down the gas service inside of the building and the on-site commander spoke with the building representative and informed her of the gas service was shut to the building and the red tag process. Gas company representatives arrived on the scene and the technician reported very low readings – only 1 parts per million – in the basement stairwell and first floor alpha side.

The town's Building Inspector determined that the building should not be re-occupied until the gas company located the source of the odor and deems the building safe to be re-occupied.

"Explosion" near the Chenery

April 13 – It was just a quarter past midnight when fire dispatch began receiving calls concerning a reported "explosion" at the power station behind the Chenery Middle School along Orchard. Engine 2 responded to the power station but did not find any smoke or fire from the exterior. Belmont Municipal Light Department was called to respond and handle what is being called an "electrical" event.