Four-alarm blaze hits Lexington condo

I am really disappointed about the Lexington fire department.
While walking along Mass Avenue and watching the trick and treat parades of parents and young children, while smoke was desending on everybody , but nobody seemed to care, I thought some kids had started a brush fire behind the library and will get hell for this. One girl thought they were having a barbacue roast. I heard one fire truck make its way up main street, but nobody else cared. Quite a while later my wife and I walked up the Belfry tower and realized that the historical beautiful building and its great roof were ablaze in flames. We saw fire trucks all over the other side of the building but nobody was on the back side. No ladder high enough to spray down on the roof, no water availabel on that side I guess. It is a shame that Lexington does not have the right equipment to deal with a fire of a building of more than two stories.

People always realize how disappointed they are with Fire Departments when something bad happens.... But they have no problem with complaining about the "Lazy Firefighters" or questioning why Towns as small as Lexington need the equipment that they have.

I'd like to respond to the previous comment. The firefighters were on the scene almost immediately, and the trucks from neighboring towns followed quite quickly. The Lexington fire-fighters worked very hard. In reference to some erroneous comments: They DID use a hose and a ladder to spray down on the roof, and they used hydrants from Muzzey St, Raymond St, and Forest St. They DO have the right equipment, and I'm assuming that you were watching at the very beginning of the fire when it wasn't an immediate threat. To follow up, the roof of the condo complex collapsed. The fire marshalls shut down the intersection of Clarke and Forest.

First off all, my heart goes out to all those effected by this tragedy. I cannot image the emotional trauma of such a loss. That being said, as we head towards the Thanksgiving Holiday, we can all be thankful that there was no loss of life.

The first commenter/s remarks highlight two common misconceptions about firefighting:

1. Fire trucks fight fires

2. Putting water on the outside of a burning building will put the fire out.

While proper equipment and apparatus is important, firefighters fight fires, not fire trucks. It takes firefighters, proper trained and equipped to move hoses, break open doors, put water on flames, rescue people and pets, ventilate smoke heat and toxic gases, open walls to find hidden fire, salvage property and a host of other duties. It takes personnel. A lot of personnel. Most importantly, I building is saved or lost by how quickly the Fire Department can arrive with sufficient personnel and begin operations inside the building.

Questions that should be asked regarding this unfortunate incident:

What is The Lexington Fire Department’s standard response for a fire (in terms of personnel and equipment)? Does this meet nationally recognized standards? Did they respond with the standard response, or we’re some personnel and apparatus tied up with another incident?

The Hancock School was a magnificent structure with an exterior of masonry and a slate roof. It was built to withstand New England weather, and then some, as it did for many years. These same properties make trying to fight a fire from the outside a losing proposition. When a Fire Department is fighting a fire from the outside of a structure, it is because the conditions are too dangerous inside. At this point, they are not trying to save the building, they’re trying to save the buildings near it.

An effective fire department needs good equipment, true. But first and foremost, it needs to be able to respond with enough trained personnel to accomplish many tasks simultaneously from the inside of the building if they’re going to contain the fire.

At a time when many communities are facing increased budgetary pressure from decreased revenue, be cautious when you hear a mayor, selectman, council member, town manager or other municipal official talk about cuts in public safety, whether Police, Fire or Emergency Medical Services as being an “acceptable risk.”.

My thoughts and prayers are with those whose lives were changed by this devastating event.

The first person to comment I believe Konrad Benz has no insight as to what firefighting involves. Yes firefighters want to save evrey building that is on fire but to what or whos expense. This building looks to have been an old historical building that was remodeled into condos from a former school. This building was converted into condos in the late 1970's how long was the building there prior to that. The town of Lexington has two fire stations with twelve guys working per shift. This means that in an ideal situation if they get a call for a fire they will have two engines, one ladder, one ambulance and one command car. Like I said that is in an ideal situation i.e. no other emergencies. Usually any fire department that has a fire will call on different neighboring towns for help in these situations as Lexington did here. You also have to look at another point of view. Was the fire department called immediately or did the fire have time to grow even larger prior to the fire departments arrival. These magnificant structures pose an even greater risk to firefighters. Above the ceiling is a common space that the fire can spread very easily without barriers to control it. There is no telling where or when the fire will present itself inside.As for the lexington Firefighters they did a great job at this fire, they were there almost immediately and inside the building assuring everyone was out safely. They were dragging hose inside they were attaching their fire trucks to the fire hydrants, they were giving their best effort for the size of this fire. Konrad Benz open your eyes in your community and realize that as you have a job these guys have a job, you know how to do yours and they know how to do theirs. Just remember nobody got hurt and that is the most important thing.