Fire Burns 13 Acres of Land Near Brooksby Farm

A brush fire off Felton Street near the Brooksby Farm apple orchards burned 13 acres of land on Tuesday.

The fire department had been dealing with smaller brush fires near Brooksby Farm on Sunday and Monday, but Tuesday saw the most serious fire and issues, according to Deputy Fire Chief Paul Hinchion.

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The first call for smoke near the farm came in at about 8:30 a.m., with an engine checking on the situation. Soon, it was all hands on deck for the Peabody Fire Department, as every company in the city was on the scene to work the fire.

“It was up by the apple orchards, where there’s a lot of forest,” said Hinchion. “Fortunately, there are some hydrants out there so we were able to use them.”

By about 3 p.m., the bulk of the fire was under control, with the perimeter wet down. Hinchion said there were two crews on the scene who were expected to stay there until dark. He added that tonight’s expected rain should also help with the situation.

The state forestry department also assisted on the scene, and Rehab 5 provided drinks and other relief for the firefighters.

“There were some trees that had to be cut down because they were dangerous,” said Hinchion.

Although there was no property damage, the fire was in the areas of several homes, as well as the high school and Brooksby Village off Rte. 114.

“There were no injuries, but everyone is pretty tired,” said Hinchion.