February 11, 2015

Updated: Breaking News: Fire in Large Cambridge Apartment Building


Posted February 11, 2015 8:08 PM ET; Last updated February 11, 2015 11:22 PM ET


1610 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge

[Update]
At about 9:45 PM I learned that the reason there were no police directing traffic during the fire emergency, was that the emergency fire dispatcher forgot to tell the emergency police dispatcher, who sit about three feet from each other.  Firemen from neighboring communities joined in supporting the four-alarm fire. I only know that Brookline was one of them. At about 9:45 PM traffic was diverted from Mass Avenue both north and south. Traffic on Cambridge Street eastbound was stopped due to traffic coming from Harvard Square diverted onto Cambridge Street.

On its 11 o'clock news, WBZ-TV reported the building was at "1616 Mass Avenue between Everett [Street] and Waterhouse [Street]." They got it wrong.

Fire in Large Cambridge Apartment Building

The large apartment building at 1610 Massachusetts Avenue and Chauncey Street in Cambridge is surrounded by firemen and equipment. There is a problem with frozen hydrants. Traffic in the area is snarled as far as Concord Avenue. When I passed the site about fifteen minutes ago (7:40 PM) there were no policemen directing traffic. At least one Cambridge police detective was on site. Firemen tried to help fire trucks get into place. One ladder extended to the roof of the building and one firemen went onto the roof. There was smoke in the air. Many people remained in their apartments. They could be seen looking out of their windows. Students from Harvard Law School across Mass Avenue were standing on the corner gawking. I asked some of the law studnet of they would "give back," or do some public service by directing traffic. No one volunteered. Equipment on scene were from Engine and Ladder 1, 2, 5 and 6.

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