WESTFIELD – A Meadow Street family was displaced Tuesday morning by an electrical fire in their apartment.
City fire and police responded to a 9:55 a.m. report from a resident of 65 ½ Meadow Street who reported that, although he could see no smoke or fire, a light fixture in the ceiling was glowing red.
The first firefighters arrived seven minutes after the call under the command of Capt. Seth Ellis who called for the platform truck, an ambulance and two additional engines.
The firefighters soon found an electrical fire in the ceiling fixture had ignited insulation which was smoldering and the ceiling was pulled down to extinguish the fire and to ensure that there were no extensions of the fire in the attic space.
Dep. Chief Patrick Kane asked that a G&E crew respond and the electrical power to the building was disconnected.
The city’s building and electrical inspectors also responded and Jonathan Flagg of the Building Department reports that, because the electricity could not be restored immediately to the third floor apartment, the family there was displaced although the building owner was allowed to immediately begin work to repair and clean up the electrical, smoke and water damage.
Dawn Leaks, the director of communications for the American Red Cross in Massachusetts, reports that the family is comprised of two adults and two children who were assisted with food and shelter and received ‘comfort packs’ to provide them with basic essentials until they can return to their home or find alternate accommodations.
