12/11/2012 - Around 1800 hours on the evening of Tuesday, December 11, 2012 the East Bridgewater Fire Department responded to a reported house fire at 33 West Street (Route-106) near the intersection of Route-18. Companies arrived to find smoke showing from the two and a half story wood framed multiple dwelling. A working fire was requested when companies found a fire in the basement of the home. Companies backed out due to heavy fire conditions in the basement and made an exterior attack of the heavy fire through windows. Once the heavy fire was knocked down they re-entered the home to make an aggressive attack. Approximately fifteen minutes into the incident a second alarm was requested, which was soon followed by a third alarm. Mutual aid companies from Abington, Bridgewater, Brockton, Halifax, Hanson, West Bridgewater and Whitman worked on the scene to battle the blaze. Ambulances from Bridgewater and Whitman were called to the scene to stand by. The Whitman CERT Team responded with their rehab unit to provide rehab to the firefighters working on the scene. Crews worked tirelessly to rip open walls and ceilings and knock down fire trapped in the walls of the old home. Countless hand lines were stretched to all floors of the home so the fire that was discovered could be knocked down. Crews could be seen replacing their air packs several times during the blaze. The house, which was built in 1880, featured balloon frame construction which facilitated the fire to spread to the upper floors quickly. Firefighters battled fire on all floors of the two and a half story dwelling. There were two occupants at home when the fire broke out, and they were both able to escape. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation but fire crews believe the fire started in the basement.
