Waltham Fernald Fire Was Arson, $5K Reward: State Fire Marshall

WALTHAM, MA — Authorities are offering up to $5,000 for anyone who can provide information on the person who set a fire Wednesday at the Fernald Center.

"This was an intentionally set fire causing extensive damage to the basement level of the Fernald Administration Building," the State Fire Marshall's office said in a statement.

A security guard found the fire in an administration building just before midnight Wednesday and called 911. Waltham Deputy Fire Chief Rich Grant said the fire was under control about an hour after firefighters arrived.

One firefighter was treated for what Grant called a minor breathing issue.

After a joint Waltham police, fire and the state fire Marshall's arson investigation Thursday morning authorities said a human act started the fire.

"It was arson," Grant said.

Around 11:50 p.m. a Fiesta Shows security guard keeping watch of the Lions Club light show saw the administration building was on fire and called 911. When firefighters from Engine 8 and 7 arrived, they saw flames coming from the building and called a second alarm.

The security guard worked for the company that is running the holiday light show to raise funds for the Waltham Lions civic club. Officials say the event has been drawing hundreds of cars to the property each night.

The state fire marshal, Waltham police detectives and the fire investigation unit are working on the investigation today, he said. It was the second major suspected arson on the city-owned Fernald Campus since 2016, he said. More recently, Waltham firefighters put out a brush fire on the campus in August.

The boarded-up, graffiti-covered administration building from what was once called the Walter E. Fernald Developmental Center still stands on the property. The state-run center opened in the late 1800's. By the 1950s relatives of patients and staff began a reform 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 then bought the property.

Disability advocates have protested the city's decision to allow the light show and that it allowed the buildings to fall into disrepair before creating a museum or memorial on the property. But on Thursday, they were also lamenting the fire.

"It's just tragic, I'm glad no one got injured," said activist Chris Hoeh who said he heard of the fire early this morning.

Hoeh said he was told the building that was on fire was promised to be the museum the group had asked for.

"It had historic significance," he said. "It's terrible news."

He said it is the city's responsibility to protect the historic buildings on the property.

"When the city bought the property they bought the responsibility for taking care of these buildings," he said. "They're going to investigate it, but it's a huge loss."

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.