Crime & Safety
Investigators Seek Info On Massive Warehouse Blaze In Wakefield
Investigators are asking for the public's help as they seek to identify how a six-alarm fire started last week.
WAKEFIELD, MA — Investigators are asking for the public's help in identifying how a massive blaze that ripped through a vacant commercial building in Wakefield started.
The six-alarm fire broke out at a Foundry Street on Friday afternoon, leading to "catastrophic" damage. The building was a disused warehouse with an extreme amount of clutter inside, fire officials said.
Find out what's happening in Wakefieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Wakefield Fire Chief Thomas Purcell and State Fire Marshal Jon Davine are seeking photos and video shot during the fire’s earliest stages.
"Based on their efforts so far, they believe the fire began inside the building, but the catastrophic damage has posed major challenges in identifying exactly where," fire officials said in a statement.
Find out what's happening in Wakefieldfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
The blaze is not being investigated as a suspicious fire at this time. Right now, investigators are seeking to find the exact area of the fire's origin.
“We know this fire brought a large number of people to the area as it grew in size,” Purcell said in the statement. “What we’re looking for now are photo, video, and observations from people who were present when the fire was first noticed.”
Anyone with photo, video, or other information regarding the fire’s early stages is asked to contact Deputy Chief John Walsh of the Wakefield Fire Department at 978-382-5552 or the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit at 978-567-3310.
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