01/02/2020 - ROCKLAND, MASSACHUSETTS (PLYMOUTH COUNTY) - Around 0020 hours on the morning of Thursday, January 2, 2020 the Rockland Fire Department began receiving calls for a reported building fire at 20 East Water Street. Due to their ambulance being at the Good Samaritan Medical Center in Brockton from a previous medical call, three firefighters responded. Engine-1 arrived to find smoke showing from a 3-story wood framed dwelling, residential over commercial. Car-270, Chief Scott Duffey, arrived on-scene reported heavy smoke showing and requested a working fire. Shortly after the working fire was requested, as firefighters were making a primary search heavy fire was seen on the "C" side of the building. Interior firefighters reported they were making rescues, and Chief Duffey immediately requested a second alarm with 2-additional ambulances. Third alarm companies were requested to staging at Union Street at Market Street. Companies became heavily engaged following the evacuation of all occupants from the building. Crews backed out and hit the heavy overlapping fire in the rear of the building, knocking that fire down quickly. A ladder pipe on Rockland Ladder-1 was put into operation to darken down the fire. Once heavy fire was knocked down, crews made their way back into the building, attacking fire on floors 2 and 3. As mutual aid companies arrived on-scene, numerous big lines were put into operation. Firefighters placed ground ladders around the building and ladders from Rockland and Brockton were stretched to the roof. Crews worked extensively to overhaul the second and third floors, knocking down fire found in the walls and attic. The fire eventually went to a fourth and fifth alarms bringing mutual aid companies from Hanover, Abington, Hingham, Whitman, Norwell, Hanson, Weymouth, Brockotn, Holbrook, East Bridgewater to both work the fire and cover. Fire ground rehab was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services, Boston Sparks Association and the Whitman CERT Team. At least one person rescued from the building was transported to a local medical center with what was believed to be non-life threatening injuries. One firefighter was also transported from the scene with a minor injury. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
