Crews battle Duxbury house fire possibly sparked by lightning strike

VIDEO: Firefighters battled a blaze at a Duxbury house that may have been sparked by a lightning strike Wednesday night, officials said. The fire started at around 7:15 p.m., around the time of a significant lightning storm in the area, according to the Duxbury Fire Department. “Nobody was home in this house, but next door, the neighbors were home, and they were the ones that said they felt the lightning strike — they felt the house shake, they heard the loud boom, and then about 20 minutes later, they smelled smoke,” Duxbury Fire Department Chief Bob Reardon said. Fire crews from Pembroke and Hanover were on scene to assist in putting out the flames. There were no reported injuries. At around 10 p.m., firefighters were airing out the house and had propped open doors and windows. Crews also cut a hole in the roof of the house for ventilation.
WHDH-TV 7 Boston

Structure fire in Ludlow shuts down multiple roads

A structure fire took place on Wednesday night at 484 Poole Street in Ludlow. As a result of this structure fire, roads were closed at Poole Street, through Ventura Street, down to Alden Street. The Ludlow Fire Department has confirmed there are early indications that this fire was caused by a lightning strike, and the damages were significant, as our crews witnessed a gaping hole in the side of the house. By 10 p.m., despite the fire being knocked down, responders were still on-scene cleaning up. The flames were especially challenging to put out due to the location being a hydrant-less area. As a result, tankers from multiple other departments, including Palmer, Bonsville, Belchertown, and Westover, were sent over to help with extinguishing.
Western Mass News

Car crashes over retaining wall in Westford parking lot

VIDEO: A man was transported to an area hospital after crashing over a retaining wall in the parking lot of a Massachusetts Market Basket. The crash happened around 12:15 p.m. in the Cornerstone Square parking lot off Littleton Road in Westford. Video from the scene showed the vehicle which appeared to have driven through a grassy area of the grocery store parking lot and over a stone retaining wall. It was not clear how the crash happened. State police said they received several calls from a person on Interstate 495 southbound near Westford before 12:30 p.m. requesting help, but not specifying the emergency. Police said a short time later, a vehicle was involved in a crash near the Westford Market Basket. Police said the vehicle involved in the Westford Market Basket crash was determined to be driven by the caller.
WCVB-TV ABC 5 Boston

Several farm animals killed when fire engulfs barn in Westport

PHOTOS: The Westport Fire Department said Tuesday that some animals were killed in a barn fire. The fire on Sodom Road was reported at about 7 a.m. The fire department said the town highway surveyor saw the smoke and called 911. He and the homeowners tried to save livestock in the barn. "While several animals were saved by the property owners and firefighters, several, unfortunately, perished in the blaze," the Westport Fire Department said. The fire department said firefighters managed to keep the flames from spreading to nearby buildings. "Challenged by a lack of initial staffing and water supply, firefighters worked quickly to protect exposures, and thankfully, the fire was contained in the building of origin," a social media post said.
WJAR-TV NBC 10 Providence

Crews put out lawn mower fire in Southampton

PHOTOS: The Southampton Fire Department was sent to a lawn mower fire on Tuesday. According to the Southampton Fire Department, at 5:00 p.m., crews were sent to Gunn Road for a lawn mower on fire. When crews arrived, they found the lawn mower completely on fire. The lawn mower was not near any buildings and was quickly put out by the fire department. No injuries were reported.
WWLP-TV NBC/CW+ 22 Springfield

Amherst officials outline vision for Hickory Ridge: fire station, community center, affordable housing among options

A fire station, possibly combined with a new community center, or an affordable housing development are among the concepts unveiled for the front portion of the former Hickory Ridge Golf Course on West Pomeroy Lane, the 150-acre town-owned site where construction of a new municipal trail system and a private solar project are underway. Assistant Town Manager David Ziomek unveiled to the Town Council a series of illustrations and conceptual drawings last month showing how the previously developed portion of the property, including the dilapidated clubhouse, a small outbuilding and the 100-space parking lot, could be redeveloped. Ziomek said town officials have created both a land stewardship plan for the site, acquired in 2022 for $520,000, and done assessments for a possible fire station, a separate municipal building and private homes.
Amherst Bulletin - Metered Site

Quarry blast sends rocks flying into yards in Taunton, residents say

VIDEO: A quarry blast in Taunton sent softball-sized rocks onto residential properties, according to people who live in the Massachusetts city. Scott Schofield said he was gardening in the backyard of his Fremont Street home on April 29 when he felt the scheduled detonation at the nearby Holcim quarry. "The blast was big. It was bigger than anything I've ever heard," Schofield said. "I've been out here many times when you can hear the blast going off, but this was a sizeable one." The Holcim quarry is approximately 700 feet away from Schofield's home. There is also a set of railroad tracks that runs between Schofield's neighborhood and the quarry. Schofield said he and his neighbors were notified about the blast that was set to take place late that morning, but he did not expect what happened next.
WCVB-TV ABC 5 Boston