Belmont Fire Log: Post-Thanksgiving Outdoor Grilling Pit Ups Neighbor's Ire

"Hey! What about us? Get us out!"
Nov. 24 – At just about half past 8 a.m., Engine 1 was sent to Belmont Street after a resident locked her keys in her car along with her two dogs. Lucky the firefighters got into the car with no damages, rescuing the canines. 

Windy results
Nov. 24 – At just past 2:30 p.m., Engine 1 found a large tree that came down on  power and cable (!) lines at a Cushing Avenue house. The firefighters notified both Belmont Light and Public Works.  

CO problems at Belmont Manor
Nov. 25 – Just before 11 a.m., Engine 1 was sent to the Belmont Manor Nursing Home on Agassiz Avenue for a carbon monoxide alarm. The day before, Belmont Fire investigated a CO alarm which was determined to the heating system's exhaust being pushed into the building by heavy winds. The Engine 1 crew reported high outside CO readings (80 parts-per-million) in the area used as a receiving dock and waste storage. Indoors, the crew found elevated CO levels in the first-floor hallway (50 ppm), office and kitchen area (30 ppm) which are close to the receiving dock. Turns out the CO problem came from the heating unit located in the receiving dock. The unit was shut down and after several minutes the outside and inside readings were within normal limits. The gas company arrived and instructed the building manager "not to turn the burner unit back on" until it has been serviced by a qualified technician. 

Be more careful cooking with pots
Nov. 25 – At 1:36 p.m. Engine 2 took off to a house on School Street where they could see light smoke on the first floor from the window. What they did not find was anyone inside; the house was empty. After they asked the alarm company to contact the homeowners and have the police on hand, the crew entered the house through the kitchen window. While the window was not damaged, the same could not be said for a glass container which was broken. Turns out that someone left some food warming in a pan on the stove which ultimately started burning. The crew shut off the stove and took the pan outside. While the house was being ventilated, the wayward homeowner arrived and was asked "to be more careful in the future."

Gas leak on the Lane
Nov. 26 – Just before half past 3 p.m., firefighters were sent to the intersection of Lawrence Lane and Leicester Road for a big gas leak. National Grid was on scene searching for a leak which had been located at Ivy Road and Lawrence Lane. Turns out it was a small crack in a three-inch pipe which was venting into the air. National Grid was waiting for a part but was in the process of making the repair. 

Wind blows, tree falls
Nov. 27 – Just before 4 p.m., Engine 2 and the Ladder truck was sent to a residential building on Spring Valley Road after a tree fell on the house. While the roof was damaged, the building was not structural harmed so the owner was told to call a tree company and a roofer for repairs.

Next on the Food Network: Caveman Cooking Challenge
Nov. 30 – Just before 10 p.m., Engine 2 was sent to Louise Road after a backyard neighbor complained about their abutter's cooking habit. The crew found the neighbor using his personal fire pit to do some post-Thanksgiving roasting. And while the fire department found the homeowner to be using his pit "in a mindful and safe manner" he said he would nonetheless extinguish the fire using his garden house.