Charlie Breitrose
Watertown Firefighters battled a blaze on Flint Road on Tuesday, and efforts were slowed because some hydrants in the area were not shoveled out after Monday’s storm.
A resident heard a smoke alarm at about 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 24 and found a fire on the third floor. A second alarm was ordered quickly by incident commander Deputy Chief Daniel Tardif to ensure adequate resources and support for the firefighting operations, said Watertown Fire Chief Ryan Nicholson.
Flames could be seen coming out of the roof of the home in the footage from NBC 10 Boston.
“There is significant damage throughout the home, particularly on the second and third floors,” said Nicholson, who added that all residents were safely evacuated and there were no injuries to residents or firefighters.
Snow from the blizzard that hit the area hampered the response, Nicholson said, who told NBC 10 that firefighters also dealt with slippery conditions due to ice and snow.
“Responding crews performed exceptionally well, particularly given the difficult conditions following the recent storm,” Nicholson said. “While the closest hydrant to the fire building had been shoveled out, additional hydrants in the area required time to locate and clear due to snow conditions.”
Nicholson added: “We also remind residents that every second counts during a fire. Please help by clearing snow from hydrants near your homes and ensuring that working smoke alarms are installed and maintained on every level of your residence.”
The origin and cause of Tuesday’s fire remain under investigation, though the fire is not considered suspicious at this time, Nicholson said.
Nicholson thanked the mutual aid partners from the Cambridge, Waltham, Belmont, Newton, and Boston fire departments for their assistance during the fire.