Firefighters battle three-alarm blaze on James Street

(4-5 minute read)

A three-alarm fire at a single-family home on James Street drew a large emergency response Monday evening, sending the homeowner and one firefighter to the hospital with injuries that were not believed to be life-threatening, according to fire officials.

The fire occurred at 27 James Street, a property with a documented history, and was complicated by hoarding conditions inside the home that made firefighting operations significantly more dangerous.

Reading Fire Chief Rick Nelson (right) speaks on the fire at 27 James Street. He is joined by Assistant Chief John Keough (left). Video by Taylor Gregory.

Three-alarm fire reported on James Street

Emergency vehicles and first responders at the scene of the fire on James Street. Photo by Taylor Gregory.

According to Reading Fire Department Chief Rick Nelson, the Town’s 9-1-1 dispatch center received multiple calls reporting a structure fire at approximately 5:41 pm.

“When crews arrived on scene, they found fire showing from the first and second floors of a single-family residence,” Nelson said during a briefing at the scene.

Firefighters immediately began deploying hose lines to attack the fire. While doing so, crews located a male homeowner inside the residence. The resident had sustained burn injuries, prompting firefighters to pause suppression efforts to provide emergency medical care.

The homeowner was transported to an area hospital for treatment. Officials said his injuries were serious enough to require hospitalization but were not believed to be life-threatening.

Interior conditions forced firefighters out of the building

Light on the laddertruck illuminating the large hole in the roof around the chimney. Photo by Taylor Gregory.

As firefighting operations continued, crews encountered hoarding throughout the home's interior.

Fire officials said hallways and rooms were filled with personal belongings, restricting movement and making it difficult to advance hose lines. Visibility inside the home was limited by heavy smoke, and firefighters faced high heat.

“The conditions inside were very unsafe,” Nelson said. “Those hoarding conditions made advancing lines difficult and dangerous.”

As the fire spread from the first and second floors into the attic and eventually burned through the roof, companies were forced to evacuate the building due to unsafe interior conditions.

Additional alarms struck, mutual aid requested

Firefighters at the scene of the fire on James Street. Photo by Taylor Gregory.

Due to the extent of the fire, weather conditions, and safety concerns, a second alarm was struck, followed by a third alarm to bring in additional personnel and equipment.

Mutual aid was provided by fire department crews from Woburn, Melrose, Stoneham, Andover, and Wakefield, assisting Reading crews as operations extended into the night. Firefighters worked in difficult conditions, including cold temperatures, snow, and ice.

Chief Nelson praised the response, noting the crews continued to work diligently to extinguish the fire and locate hidden pockets of fire within the structure.

Firefighter injured during operations

During the incident, one firefighter was injured and transported to an area hospital “out of an abundance of caution,” according to Nelson.

Officials said the firefighter was conscious at the time of transport and that the injury was considered relatively minor. No additional details were available regarding the cause of the injury.

Investigation underway

First responders on scene at James Street during extinguishment procedures. Photo by Taylor Gregory.

By late evening, the bulk of the fire had been brought under control, though crews remained on scene for overhaul and monitoring.

Once extinguishment operations are complete, a joint investigation will be conducted by the Reading Fire Department and the Reading Police Department, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police Fire Investigation Unit. At this time, officials said the cause of the fire remains undetermined and is in the early stages of investigation.

Fire officials confirmed that two residents were displaced by the fire.

Scene response

Assistant Chief John Keough was also present at the scene and assisted with incident operations. He appeared beside Chief Nelson when addressing the media.

Officials thanked residents for their cooperation and urged the public to remain cautious around the area as emergency crews continued working overnight.

“This was a very difficult fire under very difficult conditions,” Nelson said. “Our crews worked very hard to bring this incident under control.”

More information is expected to be released as the investigation continues.

Residence on James Street involved in the incident. Photo by Taylor Gregory.