QFD responds to two fires on Sunday

QUINCY – Quincy Firefighters responded to two fires on Sunday: One in the morning and one in the afternoon.

On the first call at 10:14 a.m., Engine 2, Engine 4, Engine 6, and Incident Command
were dispatched to 529 N 3rd St. for a report of a structure fire and when units arrived on the scene
they saw fire on the exterior of the home.

The homeowner was using a garden hose to slow the spread of the fire. Fire crews extinguished the remaining fire and searched house for fire spread before using fans to remove smoke from the interior of the home. QFD units were on scene for roughly an hour.

The fire started due to a generator operating too close to the structure. General
guidelines to safely use a generator are:

• Use portable generators outdoors in well-ventilated areas at least 20 feet from all
  doors, windows, and vent openings.
• Never use a generator in an attached garage, even with the door open.
• Place generators so that exhaust fumes can’t enter the home through windows,
  doors, or other openings in the building. The exhaust must be directed away from
  the building.
• Make sure to install carbon monoxide (CO) alarms in your home. Follow
  manufacturer’s instructions for correct placement and mounting height.
• Turn off generators and let them cool down before refueling. Never refuel a
  generator while it is hot.
• If you must connect the generator to the house wiring to power appliances, have a
  qualified electrician install a properly rated transfer switch in accordance with the
  National Electrical Code® (NEC) and all applicable state and local electrical
  codes.
  

The homeowner was issued a Notice of Violation for not having working smoke or
Carbon Monoxide alarms in the home.

Then, about two hours later at 12:20 p.m., Engine 2, Engine 5, Engine 4, and Incident Command
were dispatched to 813 Jersey for smoke coming from a structure.

Units arrived on scene to find light smoke throughout the structure. Fire crews, assisted by QPD, worked
to alert the occupants and evacuate everyone from the structure. Fire crews forced entry to the downstairs apartment.

Due to the noises of forcing open the apartment door, the downstairs resident was awakened and opened the door. There were no working smoke detectors in the structure. Crews found a small cooking fire on the stove and extinguished it with a fire extinguisher. All smoke was ventilated from the home and fire crews cleared the scene at 1:00 p.m.

A Notice of Violation was given for no working smoke or carbon monoxide alarms in the home and QFD reported the fire could have been prevented with a working smoke detector. Smoke detectors are required on every level of a home and within 15 feet of all sleeping areas.