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A person spotted a fire at Charlie's On Main, a pizzeria located at 340 Main Street, from outside the building at approximately 4 p.m. on Sunday, May 14, according to the Wakefield Fire Department.
As soon as crews arrived at the scene they struck a second alarm, followed quickly by a third. A fourth alarm was struck almost an hour after the first, at approximately 4:50 p.m., when firefighters were forced to evacuate the building because of structural damage.
The building contained multiple apartments above the pizza shop, from which four residents were displaced.
Two dogs died in the blaze, the Wakefield Fire Department confirmed. A cat was rescued and survived.
Charlie's On Main, and other businesses in the building, were closed when the blaze broke out. They will remain closed in the near future.
The building sustained heavy damage from the fire. If it is not totaled, it will require extensive repairs, the Wakefield Police Department said.
Wakefield firefighters, and their mutual aid partners, prevented the fire from spreading to nearby buildings, one of which was almost touched by the fire.
“We’re very fortunate the fire didn’t extend to another property,” Chief Sullivan said. “That’s a credit to the firefighters who were at the scene. All the communities worked very closely together.”
There were no serious injuries in the fire.
On-scene mutual aid and station coverage was provided by the following communities' fire departments:
- Lynnfield
- Malden
- Melrose
- Middleton
- North Reading
- Reading
- Saugus
- Stoneham
- Wilmington
- Winchester
- Woburn fire departments
- Burlington
- Danvers
- Lynn
The fire remains under investigation but does not appear to be suspicious. The State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit attached to the State Fire Marshal’s Office are assisting Wakefield Fire with the investigation.
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