Firefighters rescue trapped man
Published: October 5, 2006
Praising the near-Herculean efforts of the city’s two newest firefighters, Melrose Fire Chief John O’Brien described their amazing rescue of a man trapped on the second-floor of an apartment building Sunday night.
“I cannot say enough about the men and the tremendous job they did,” he said. “The people of Melrose should be proud of this rescue and the work they did that night.”
A 911 call was received at 10:21 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 from a resident at 46 Sanford St. saying the building was filling with smoke. Melrose Engines 2 and 3, Ladder Truck 1 and Paramedic 47 were dispatched under the command of Capt. John White, and arrived at the scene 2 1/2 minutes later, the chief said.
Fire Lt. Richard Fink and firefighter Matt Brammer were met with fire on the top floor and a report that a person was trapped. Capt. White ordered a second alarm and responders included Saugus Engine 1, Malden Engine 2, Wakefield Engine 2 as well as ladder trucks from Malden and Medford.
Entering the second floor through a rear stairway, the firefighters encountered thick, black smoke and utter darkness, described by Chief O’Brien as “black as an ink bottle.” Crawling on their abdomens and aided by a thermal imaging camera - but mostly using their hands to feel their way - the firefighters located 38-year-old Robert Hughes in the kitchen area. Hughes, who was burned and had passed out from the smoke inhalation, was close to death, according to O’Brien.
“He was literally seconds away from dying,” O’Brien said. “He’s still in serious condition at Mass General Hospital.”
While still under investigation, for now the fire has been deemed accidental after an investigation by Fire Capt. Collina, Detective Antonangeli and State Trooper O’Donnell. The fire was caused by “careless disposal of smoking materials,” fire officials said. Because it has been ruled accidental no charges will be pressed against Hughes, O’Brien said.
Though Fink and Brammer are the heroes for locating and rescuing Hughes, O’Brien said controlling and putting out the fire was a huge effort of manpower.
“A total of 25 men fought this fire,” he said. “It was under control at 11 p.m.”
O’Brien took the opportunity to remind Melrose residents that the reopening of a nearby fire station likely aided the rescue.
“The response time in the city is now two minutes,” he said. “It proved it Sunday night. Sadly, that woman in Gloucester who died recently in a fire didn’t have to die. It took them 11 minutes to get there because their closest station was shut down.
“We were able to simultaneously attack the fire, conduct the search [for the victim] and establish a water supply, all before the arrival of mutual aid,” O’Brien continued. “This individual [Hughes] lived solely because of the aggressive actions of the Melrose Fire Department.”
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