Fire on Harvard Street Shuts Road; Firefighter Sent to Hospital

A basement fire at 111 Harvard St. in South Medford was put out quickly Wednesday morning.

Two people, the homeowner and a tenant, were home at the time and escaped after smoke detectors went off around 9:30 a.m., fire officials said.

First responders encountered heavy smoke on the first floor, and one firefighter was sent to a local hospital after he felt unwell when he left the home, Deputy fire Chief Scott Graham said. His injuries are believed to be minor.

The call for the fire came only moments after a call for a trash fire in an alley on Forest Street.

"They came in within minutes of each other," Graham said.

Windows had to be smashed on the first floor of the Harvard Street home to allow ventilation. A ladder truck extended its ladder to the roof in case fire spread through the walls to the attic, but that never happened, Graham said.

Harvard Street from Main Street to Pierce Avenue remained blocked off as of 11 a.m. Wednesday.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The simultaneous fires did not impact response, Graham said, different engine companies responded to each fire.