Bystander Uses Hose To Stop Fire From Reaching N. Andover House

NORTH ANDOVER, MA—The quick thinking of a bystander may have saved a homeowner's house from being damaged by fire.

On Wednesday afternoon, the North Andover Fire Department responded to a small mulch fire outside of a home on Middlesex Street.

"Due to the proximity of the mulch to the house, were it not for the quick work of a bystander with a garden hose, the mulch fire could have extended to the home and caused a serious fire," the fire department tweeted.

Firefighters are reminding residents to keep mulch at least 18 inches away from the combustible exteriors of homes.

The state also offer these other safety tips:

• Use materials such as pea stone or crushed rock for the first 18" as a barrier around the foundation of a building.
• Provide proper receptacles for smoking materials at entrances to buildings (place at least 18" away from the building) and in designated smoking areas. Empty regularly and do not mulch these areas.
• Train maintenance staff to watch for mulch fires, especially when mulch is fresh or weather is very hot and dry or windy.