WESTFIELD – A fire that displaced at least a dozen people on Saturday was caused by someone trying to thaw frozen pipes.
The fire was reported at about 11:15 a.m. at a three-story, multi-family home on 9 Brush Street. No one was injured in the blaze, Deputy Fire Chief Seth Ellis said.
The fire department had to call in extra resources because of the extreme cold, he said.
Extra firefighters were needed to provide relief for those fighting the flames. Sanders were also called in to assist at the scene because the water used to extinguish the blaze froze immediately making it difficult for firefighters to gain footing in the icy conditions, Ellis said.
“The cold was clearly a factor on multiple levels with the fire,” he said.
The fire department was also called to other homes on Saturday to help residents deal with frozen or cracked and leaking pipes created by the below-zero temperatures, he said.
The fire was investigated by the Westfield Fire Department. Ellis said he did not know what methods were used to try to thaw the pipes.
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