A three-alarm blaze in Monson forced firefighters to rely on tanker shuttles as limited water access hampered suppression efforts

By Heather Morrison
masslive.com

MONSON, Mass. — A Western Massachusetts home was catastrophically damaged after a lack of fire hydrants and frozen lakes slowed firefighters’ efforts to extinguish the fire.

A three-alarm fire on Silver Street in Monson started around 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Two police officers who attempted to enter the house were taken to the hospital for evaluation due to smoke inhalation.

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Firefighters said heavy fire was spreading throughout the house by the time they arrived.

Monson’s water system only covers about a third of the town, and there were no fire hydrants near the house, according to the Monson Fire Department. Instead, water tankers from other towns had to start bringing in water.

Once the tankers run out of water, they are typically refilled at nearby lakes, the fire department explained. However, the nearby lakes were frozen over, the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services said.

“When those bodies of water freeze over it slows the process,” the fire department wrote on Facebook.

As of 11:30 p.m. Thursday , crews were still actively suppressing the flames.

The home was catastrophically damaged, officials said, as the roof collapsed in several areas.

The origin and cause of the fire will be investigated by the Monson Fire Department, Monson Police Department, state police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and state police assigned to the Hampden County District Attorney’s office.

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