The Southwick Fire Department and mutual aid were able to put the entire fire out at around 3 p.m. on Saturday. (Photo courtesy of Southwick Fire Department)
SOUTHWICK – Two separate incidents within minutes of each other took place on Saturday morning requiring involvement by the Southwick Fire Department.
Around 9 a.m. Saturday a call was received for a fire at a junkyard on Sam West Road. The Southwick Fire Department responded with a request for mutual aid from Westfield, Suffield and the Barnes Airport fire crew.
Initially reported by the Westfield News on Saturday morning, the individual working the car crusher in the junk yard noticed that one of the cars being crushed burst into flames and, according to Southwick Fire Chief Russ Anderson, that led to about 20-30 additional cars catching fire.
To facilitate extinguishing the fire, the owners of the facility were moving cars out of the way in order for firefighters to gain access to hot spots. The fire was eventually extinguished around 3 p.m.
Two firefighters received medical attention as a result of the incident. One sustained minor injuries while another experienced heat exhaustion.
Within minutes of the situation on Sam West Road, employees of the McDonald’s on College Hwy, reported a carbon dioxide gas leak inside the building.
The Southwick Fire Department along with the state HAZMAT team arrived to the scene and secured the facility.
Five people were transported to Noble Hospital for basic exposure to carbon dioxide. All of the individuals were brought to the hospital for a precautionary routine and the injuries are minor.
