Stoneham Fire Department Extinguishes Basement Fire

A release from the Stoneham Fire Department:

STONEHAM - The Stoneham Fire Department extinguished a basement fire this afternoon after a resident alerted first responders to a sounding smoke alarm according to Chief Matthew Grafton.

At 1:42 p.m., Stoneham Fire received a report from a neighbor that a smoke alarm was going off at 35 Washington Ave.

Upon arrival, firefighters on Engine 2 heard the alarm sounding and saw smoke coming from the basement.

Crews quickly stretched a hose line to extinguish the fire. Stoneham's Ladder 1 also responded to the scene, along with Winchester's Engine 3 as the Rapid Intervention Team. The Wakefield and Reading Fire Departments provided station coverage.

No one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

"Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish this fire and prevent extension due in large part to the fact that this home was equipped with working smoke detectors," Chief Grafton said. "We cannot stress enough how important it is for all buildings to have properly functioning smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. Had the smoke alarms not sounded, this fire would have been a lot worse."

Crews cleared the scene around 3:15 p.m. The basement sustained water and smoke damage.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Stoneham Fire Department.