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A fire broke out on 590 Main Street in Stoneham around 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 23, rendering the house a "total loss," the Stoneham Fire Department told Daily Voice. Reports of gunshots sent a Stoneham police sergeant rushing to the rear of the building, where he found a man who had tried to rescue a trapped paraplegic man by firing a shot at a locked door, according to a Stoneham Fire Department statement.
The sergeant secured the man's weapon and tried to save the trapped man himself, but heavy smoke pushed him out of the house. The sergeant reported the trapped resident, and firefighters struck a second alarm while still on the way to the scene.
Firefighters divided and conquered, with a ladder truck crew working to rescue the trapped resident and an engine crew working to extinguish the fire.
The paraplegic man was pulled to safety through a first-floor window and transported to a Boston hospital. His exact condition is unknown, but he survived the trying incident.
Firefighting made difficult by heavy smoke conditions was rendered even more challenging by clutter inside the home, the fire department said. Despite this, firefighters brought the fire under control by approximately 11:00 a.m., although the ruined house displaced a family of four.
“I would like to recognize the outstanding work of all the emergency personnel who played important roles in responding to today’s fire,” said Chief James McIntyre. “From the dispatch personnel who simultaneously processed multiple 911 calls reporting the fire and dispatched crews to the scene, to the heroic actions of the fire and police department personnel who arrived on scene and rescued the victim, their teamwork and professionalism is something the Town of Stoneham should be proud of.”
Mutual aid was provided by:
- Wakefield Fire Department
- Reading Fire Department
- Melrose Fire Department
- Woburn Fire Department
- Medford Fire Department
- The Department of Fire Services Rehab Unit
- Cataldo Ambulance’s Rehab 1 truck
Stoneham stations were covered by firefighters from Saugus and Malden while Stoneham firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze and rescue occupants.
The person who shot a gun trying to rescue the trapped man was licensed to carry a firearm and is not currently facing charges. The incident is still under investigation.
The fire is believed to have started in the home's basement. The exact circumstances of the fire are still under investigation.
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