Belmont Fire Log: Air Conditioner Had Enough, Goes Haywire

It was just a little smoke

May 27 – Just after half past 11 a.m., the entire Belmont Fire Department was sent scrambling to the tallest building in town, the residential block on Trapelo Road in Cushing Square, after some unknown party tripped the fire alarm. Crews from Engine 1 and Rescue 1 investigated and they reported that a hallway smoke detector was going off on the sixth floor. Up there, there was, in fact, a light smoke condition coming from an apartment – along with the tenant. Turns out that the woman didn't take good care watching the pots and pans during the food preparation process: food in one container began burning. At noon, the fire alarm system and master box were reset and everyone was sent home. Turns out that the tenant is a non-English speaker so an Engine 1 crew member informed her that in the event of a future alarm, it would be wise to evacuate the building for her own safety. 

Could drive you ...

May 31 – In the early morning hours just after 2:30 a.m., all Belmont Fire crews were sent to 115 Mill St., or as it's better known as McLean Hospital for something happening in the basement of the main building. When they got there, firefighters were unsuccessful in locating the alarm, and there were numerous locked rooms that they could not gain access into because nobody had a key. Thus, the alarm system would not reset . McLean Security notified its electric department to right the situation. Security said it was leaving an officer in the building to perform a fire watch until the zone was put back on-line. Just a few hours later, at ten past 4 p.m., Belmont Fire received a second call from the same location. The second run to the scene was required because the system was tripped by an electrician trying to make repairs. 

It was so hot, my air conditioner quit for the summer

May 31 – At a quarter 'til 5 p.m., all of Belmont's fire equipment raced to a house on Oakley Road for a report of wires arcing inside the house which in turn was shorting electrical equipment. Apparently, the electrical short was coming from one of the home's air conditioning units that had been working overtime during the recent heat wave and just about had enough. Crews turned off the circuit breaker to the office area of the first floor so repairs could be performed.