Belmont Fire Log: Sprinkler Going Off On Its Own, Elevator Shutting Down, House Locking Out Owner

It doesn't cook itself
Dec. 8 – A few minutes before 5 p.m., a resident of an apartment on Burnham Street left food cooking on the stove and then forget about it. The resulting fire never got further than the pot but the smoke set off the fire alarms. Engine 1 and Ladder 1 crews ventilated the apartment. 

Next time, use a paper shredder
Dec. 9 – A couple of minutes 'til half past 6 p.m., residents on Lewis Road were smelling a lot of smoke in the neighborhood of two-familes near Payson Park and contacted the fire department. Firefighters discovered a resident in a backyard burning personal papers in an outside grill that is better used for barbecuing. The resident was instructed by firefighters to extinguish his impromptu paper disposal.

D'UH!
Dec. 11 – At ten 'til 9 a.m., Engine 2 and Ladder 1 took off to the Homer Building in the Town Hall complex for a report that a couple of people were stuck in a stalled elevator. The town's facilities manager was already on the scene and said he notified the elevator company. While crew members of Ladder 1 kept talking to those stuck in the elevator, HQ instructed Engine 2 firefighters to access the elevator machine room and lock-out, tag-out the elevator so it wouldn't move. Then Ladder 1 firefighters used a key to get into the elevator and the stuckees were successfully removed. Both occupants said they weren't injury.

DIY SNAFUd
Dec. 11 – At a quarter past 4 p.m., all companies of the Belmont Fire Department  were dispatched to a two (or more) family Gilbert Road for a reported fire inside the structure. Firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the chimney as crews from Engine 1 and Rescue 1 ran into the home while the Ladder 1 firefighters checked the chimney and Engine 2 personnel got ready at the nearby hydrant. The firefighters inside reported the fire was confined to the chimney or flue and had not entered the building. Firefighters extinguished the fire inside of the wood-burning stove located in the living room with water and used a dry-chemical extinguisher to knock out the fire in the chimney. The firefighters discovered that the wood-burning stove appeared to be improperly installed into the existing fire place; there was tin foil around the exterior of the fireplace as to prevent smoke or draft from being pushed back inside the room. They also found out that the homeowner was using a small propane torch to start the stove which is really not the best way. The homeowner – who lived on the first floor – was instructed not to use a propane torch in his home or use the wood burning stove until the unit was inspected properly and have his chimney inspected as well. 

Belmont man defies Thomas Wolfe: He does go home, with some help
Dec. 12 – At nine minutes after 11 a.m., a homeowner came into the fire station with a request: could they get him back inside his house? He locked himself out. The friendly fellows from the Belmont Police Department gave the resident a ride back home and the firefighters brought along a roof ladder which they threw into an open window of the rear porch. The door from the porch to the back hall had to be forced open but the man did get back inside his residence. 

I know I've made some very poor decisions recently, but I can give you my complete assurance that my work will be back to normal.
Dec. 14 – A few minutes before 5 p.m., fire crews rushed to the newly constructed clubhouse at the Belmont Country Club off Winter Street after a fire alarm was activated when a sprinkler went off in the main foyer. On arrival Engine 1 firefighters investigated and found a sprinkler had gone off but not due to smoke or fire; it was just malfunctioning on its own. Just a lot of water everywhere. The sprinkler system was shut down and a property representative notified sprinkler technician. The elevator was shut down as a precaution.