MAYOR RIVERA ON THE SCENE OF OF 5 ALARM FIRE FIRST MAYOR ON SCENE SINCE 2009
UPDATE
Jan. 13, 2014
7:27pm
Lawrence Mayor Dan Rivera was on the scene as a 5 alarm fire raged on Merrimack Street in Lawrence at the old Merrimack Paper building.
Firefighters reported that there is no working gas in the building but an 800 lb oxygen tank is in the building. There is no word if any oxygen is in the tank.
Mayor Rivera and his Chief of Staff, Lisa Torrisi stayed out of the way of emergency responders but remained on the scene and spoke with fire and police officials at various times throughout the evening.
Several neighboring firefighters have been relieved of duty to return to their communities as Lawrence firefighters have the blaze under control.
This is the first time a Lawrence mayor has been seen at the scene of a fire in Lawrence since before Mayor William Lantigua was elected in 2009. Lantigua accused fire fighters of setting fires and accused them of “sleeping on the job” as well as accusing firefighters in Lawrence of taking their time while responding to fires to exacerbate fire damage to make him “look bad.” None of Lantigua’s claims were ever proven.
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UPDATED…. Roof Collapse… updated 5:48PM
By: Tom Duggan
January, 13, 2014
A two alarm fire quickly became a five alarm fire on Lawrence as an old mill building formerly the Merrimack Paper Company near Broadway is ablaze this evening. The address is 51 Merrimack Street.
Because of the condition of the building firefighters have been ordered not to enter the building but to attack the fire from the outside.
Firefighters report a 800 lb. oxygen tank in the building.
Multiple communities have responded to help Lawrence Fire to fight the blaze other communities now giving fire coverage at empty stations.
Lawrence Police report a civilian on the roof of the burning mill building, firefighters are trying to determine if there is anyone still up there. Firefighters from Methuen, Dracut, Tewksbury, Middleton, Andoer, Haverhill, Lowell, North Andover and Salem NH are among the many communities in Lawrence.
