Crime & Safety

Fire Chief: Spark Ignited Sawdust In Woodshop's Heating Duct

Tuesday night's fire at the vocational school is thought to have started when a spark ignited some sawdust in a heating duct in the woodshop area, Wakefield Fire Chief Michael Sullivan said at the scene.

Tuesday night's fire at the vocational school is thought to have started when a spark ignited some sawdust in a heating duct in the woodshop area, Wakefield Fire Chief Michael Sullivan said at the scene.

The two-alarm fire drew personnel from Lynnfield, Reading, North Reading, and Stoneham. Chief Sullivan reported that the damage had largely been confined to the woodshop area - and he termed that damage "significant."

The chief also noted that this type of fire is not particularly uncommon for a woodshop area.

The two-alarm fire drew personnel from Lynnfield, Reading, North Reading, and Stoneham and at one point flames could reportedly be seen coming from the roof. Even well after the flames were extinguished, a heavy odor from the fire hung over the parking lot and smoke could be spotted at times coming from the roof as a group of firefighters continued working. A couple of ladder trucks from surrounding communities provided additional support higher up over the roof.

As the fire personnel continued their work, State Representative Donald Wong (R-Saugus), whose district includes part of Wakefield, was among those looking on.

Wong told Wakefield Patch that "whatever is not covered (by the school's insurance), I'll see what I can do. The main thing is that no one got hurt."

"I give a lot of credit for all the fire departments that came down, they did an excellent job. I can't say enough," he added.

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