Salem Fire: Blaze Extinguished At Pickering Wharf

SALEM, MA – Three firefighters' first day on the job at Salem Fire Department included battling a two-alarm fire on Pickering Wharf on Thursday afternoon.

The fire – which resulted in no injuries – was also Salem Fire Lt. Matt Darisse's second shift back at work after a tour in Afghanistan, according to Firefighter and Department Spokesman Richard Thomas.

The blaze on at 62 Wharf Street was called in around 4:30 p.m., Thomas said. Nine units in the mixed-use building were damaged, and roughly 18 to 24 people were displaced. Thomas said the Red Cross was working on determining the number of residents on Thursday night.

While no one was hurt, there was an issue with a dead fire hydrant near the building, which was possibly frozen, Thomas said. Firefighters were able to hook into hydrants on Congress and Derby streets, with the help of the people that had shoveled the hydrants out prior to the fire.

When firefighters first reached the scene, the smoke was very light, but the smell of smoke was apparent. Heavy fire and smoke was found in the back of the building. Firefighters had to get into the walls and roof in order to battle the blaze.

"It was a very labor intensive fire," said Thomas. "They did a great job keeping the body of the fire to the origin of the building. Pickering Wharf is pretty close knit, but they did a good job."

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

This story will be updated.

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