Natick Fire Destroys 8 Businesses; 3 Firefighters Hurt

NATICK, MA — An eight-alarm fire ripped through as many as eight businesses on Natick Common Monday and three firefighters were injured battling the blaze. The fire started at 7 South Main St., a single-story Chinese restaurant, around 1:22 a.m., fire officials said.

Natick fire crews were assisted by several departments from the MetroWest region. Crews tried to find the cause of the fire in the basement but had to back out of the building when conditions became too dangerous. Shortly after the call was made to clear out of the building, fire officials said the roof started to collapse. The building was subsequently demolished.

Three firefighters suffered minor injuries — one suffered an arm injury, another to the foot and the third had a hand laceration, police said. Two were released from the hospital and one was still at MetroWest Medical Center as of Monday afternoon. No residents were hurt.

"Be careful, this isn’t no campfire, this is real serious,” one firefighter red from heat and exhaustion warned. His crew, from Hudson, had been at the scene since 2:30 a.m. and officials warned work on the smoldering building could go into the evening.

Among the businesses affected were a dog groomer, the Christian Science Reading Room and the Nancy Kelly Dance Studio, a local fixture. All of the buildings affected were commercial spaces; the closest residential buildings are a block and a half away.

Acting Natick Fire Chief Daniel Dow said right now, it's too early to tell the cause of the fire. Dow said the building was constructed on 1900 and has been renovated several times. The roof over the majority of the building collapsed, leaving a gaping hole for firefighters on ladders to work on.

A crane demolished the storefronts once crews had a better handle on the smoke. Hoses from the ground and ladders doused the wreckage to ensure no embers were left. Once the storefronts are demolished crews can investigate what may have caused the blaze.

Natick Common and the lawn of the First Congregational Church became the vantage point for many spectators. Local business owners, families and people passing stopped to watch fire crews work. Eileen Conlin and Patrick Nolan were among those spectators. Nolan set up a rocking chair on the sidewalk and watched the scene starting at 6 a.m.

"My daughter works at Metro Pets," Nolan said. "She just took out a car loan too, it's too bad."

Metro Pets was one of the businesses that took the brunt of the damage. The store is next door to the restaurant where the fire is believed to have originated.

Kim Melason works at Metro Pets and told Patch she's just happy no one was working or got hurt.

"It's just things, it's all replaceable," she said, "We'll find a new location."

Fellow business owners watched in shock — with such a tight-knit business community in downtown Natick, the loss of stores was personal for the whole community.

"They're friends and I just can't imagine it's heartbreaking — all your hard work and time and energy is just gone," Ginger Mceacherm said, a business owner with her own shop a block away.

"These are our people, this is our family, it's downtown Natick, we're all one big family," said Saralynn Keller, a worker at First Congregational Church. The two said the business community in Natick is already trying to pool resources together to find new and temporary spaces for the stores affected.

Dow said one of the biggest challenges in battling the blaze was the abundance of thick smoke.

"It was a very smoky fire," he said.

Neighboring departments brought air tanks for crews heading into the building, but Dow said the tanks only last about 30 minutes.

As the day wore on and crews continued work, smoke billowed so abundantly that it carried over for blocks. Some spectators couldn't stand the smoke and cleared out.

Senate President Karen Spilka, as a representative of Natick, tweeted her support for the firefighters battling the blaze.

The intense heat played a factor. Ice pops and cold towels were passed around to firefighters. When one crew would pull out of the smoking building, workers on the sidelines poured cold water bottles over the firefighters' heads, trying anything to keep cool.

Colleen Riley, who works next door at Larkins Paint, told Patch she was outside watching for two hours because she can't get into her office.

Several streets in the area were closed. The closures affected morning commuters, specifically those on the MWRTA, as Routes 10 and 11 experienced delays. Officials said pedestrian traffic in downtown Natick will be limited and cars won't be able to pass through the area near the Common until possibly the evening commute.

Businesses in the area, including a preschool that operates out of a church across the street, were notified about the blaze, according to Natick Police Lt. Cara Rossi.

"It's going to be a difficult day to do business downtown," she said.