Fire causes damage at Mattapoisett Power Equipment, no injuries reported
Dec 20, 2021
Mattapoisett Fire Department works to extinguish a fire at Mattapoisett Power Equipment on Monday morning, Dec. 20. Photo by: Morgan Beard
A firefighter sprays water into the house through the window. Photo by: Morgan Beard.
The back of the house and garage was severely burned. Photo by: Morgan Beard.
Mattapoisett Fire Chief Andrew Murray and Marion Fire Chief Brian Jackvony confer at the scene of the fire. Photo by: Morgan Beard.
The garage is engulfed in flames shortly after firefighters arrived on the scene. Photo courtesy: Mattapoisett Fire Department.
Fire fighters enter through the front door as the back of the house and garage burn intensely. Photo courtesy: Mattapoisett Fire Department.
MATTAPOISETT — The Mattapoisett Fire Department responded to a structure fire at Mattapoisett Power Equipment at about 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Dec. 20 that caused serious damage to the mixed-use building which also houses a private residence.
No injuries were sustained during the fire, though one employee of the engine repair shop had to “stop, drop, and roll” to extinguish part of his clothes that had caught fire. The residential side of the building was unoccupied during the incident but is home to a father and his two young children, according to the fire department.
The department estimated that the fire had caused about $300,000 in damages.
John Menezes, who owns Mattapoisett Power Equipment, said that the cause of the fire was a kerosene heater that he used to warm up the garage in the winter. He said that despite the damage, he was just glad that everyone was okay.
“My phone is in there, my wallet is in there, but no one got hurt, so that’s all that matters,” he said.
Mattapoisett Fire Department Lieutenant Brian Connelly described the fire as “raging” when the crew first arrived.
Mattapoisett Fire Chief Andrew Murray said that flammable materials like fuel and oil that were kept in the garage made the fire more difficult to extinguish, but it was still brought under control in under an hour.
In total, three fire trucks responded to the fire from Mattapoisett, one from Marion and two from Fairhaven. A Rochester truck was dispatched to Mattapoisett for station coverage.
22 firefighters were at the scene of the fire, working to get it under control, including fire chiefs from Marion and Fairhaven. The Red Cross was called to assist the tenants of the residence.
Mattapoisett Power Equipment, 3 Church St., opened in 2007 as a family-owned small engine repair shop, according to its website. The business also sells and rents power equipment like lawn mowers, chainsaws, and snow blowers.
