2-Alarm Fire At The Fernald Center Deemed Arson: Waltham Fire

WALTHAM, MA — A two-alarm fire at a building on the abandoned Fernald Development Center property this weekend has been deemed arson, confirmed the Waltham Fire Department.

"It was intentionally set, again," said Waltham Deputy Fire Chief Rich Grant.

This is the first time the fire department has been called to the property in 2021, but in the past year, Grant said the department has responded to at least three other fires here. All of them have been declared intentionally set, he said.

Just after 7:40 p.m. April 2, crews raced to the property for a report of fire. When crews got there, they struck a second alarm almost immediately to request backup because of issues with the water supply up there, he said. Because the property only has two working fire hydrants, firefighters have to use feeder hoses to help get water to some buildings, Grant said.

Also, because the buildings are in "deplorable" conditions, he said the department's policy is to fight the fire from the outside. That means it may take longer for the crews to put out a fire, he said.

"We don't want to send guys in and have them get injured," he said. "We want to make sure everyone gets home safe."

No one was injured in the fire, the department said.

The fire, which he said was set in a meeting room in the chapel building of the old church on the campus, was under control about 45 minutes after firefighters arrived, Grant said.

Grant described that room as "totally burnt out."

In December, the state fire marshal issued a $5K Reward for information leading to an arrest of the cause of a fire at the old administrative building on the property. Before that, the fire department was called to the red house on 272 Trapelo Rd, for a fire.

"We have an issue up there," Grant said. "We call it [the property] an attractive nuisance with people coming from out of town wanting to see the old state hospital property."

The state-run Walter E Fernald Development Center opened in the late 1800s. By the 1950s relatives of patients and staff began a campaign with help from the courts. In the early 1970s, after decades of abuse and neglect of the children sent there, a judge ordered reform and treatment changed dramatically at the center, which then offered services for adults diagnosed with mentally disabilities. It closed for good in 2014. The city bought the property in 2014 for $3.7 million, most of which using Community Preservation funds. The state still used one or two of the buildings until 2017. Since then, the property has largely sat vacant.

Signs posted at entrances to the property warn that trespassing there is not allowed, and police fly the drone there regularly to check for trespassers.

In March, police logged 157 visits to the site to check for trespassers, in addition to drone flights.
In the first five days of April, police logged 28 visits. Grant said the fire department is expected to increase surveillance of the site, which he said has been a hotbed of "homeless activity, vandals, thrill seekers and mostly young kids up there looking for something to do."

Disability advocates have protested the city's allowing the buildings on the property to fall into disrepair and foot dragging on creating a museum or memorial to lives lost on the property.

In late March, the city decided to turn a building on the property into affordable housing for veterans. There are also plans to relocate the city's CPW to the property.

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.