The Fire Department responded to a large blaze around 9:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 8 Post Office Square that ultimately destroyed three buildings and damaged three more.
The fire, which Fire Chief Glenn Davis said resulted in six alarms, occurred at the single-story strip mall near Salem Street.
Davis said that the Old Towne Market, Dunkin’, and Cervizzi’s Martial Art Academy at the mall were completely destroyed by the fire, while the Fitness Together and Wal’s Cleaner sustained serious damage. He added the Bank of America there sustained minor damage.
On Wednesday, Sept. 11, Davis confirmed no civilians or firefighters had reported injuries as a result of the blaze. He said firefighters were on the scene working to put the fire out until around 4 a.m.
He said he upgraded the fire to six alarms during the night to bring in other departments and “get ahead” of the fire spreading.
Davis said the department received a report of a building fire at the complex. Upon arrival, the firefighters heard one of the property owners banging on the door.
“The guys came out the front ramp, and they had heavy fire coming through the roof on arrival, so it got way ahead of us,” Davis said. “Older construction for the attic is connected throughout the length of the building. My concern was trying not to let it burn totally from the end to end.”
The combined efforts of various fire departments stopped the fire at the Bank of America, located on the left side of the complex, he said. The fire spread to the right side of the complex.
Investigators from the state fire marshal’s office were on the scene that night, attempting to determine the cause of the fire.
Lynnfield resident Mike Pinto said he was driving home from Chipotle and was asked by a firefighter to pull over and park his car near the Mobil gas station on Summer Street.
“I got out of my truck and (it) started off as a small fire, and now the whole thing’s gone. It’s completely gone,” Pinto said.
Megan Paradis and Manjit Kaur, two workers at the Dunkin’ that was destroyed by the fire, said they informed their general manager of the incident and went to check on the status of the building.
“I feel like crying. I open the store every morning,” Kaur, who has been working there for three years, said. “And now I guess I have no job.”
The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but the State Police, state fire marshal’s office, and Lynnfield Police Department are working together to determine it, he said.
Davis said his department was assisted by the Police Department and fire departments as far north as Boxford and as far south as Chelsea and Revere. He thanked the support of the Essex County Fire Chief’s Association and its mutual-aid network.
He also thanked Armstrong Ambulance, which was on the scene in case medical support was needed, and Roger Baker and his team at Rehab Five, which supported the firefighters with pizza and water throughout the night.
“No one community can fight a fire of this magnitude alone,” Davis said.
Anne Marie Tobin and Stuart Foster contributed to this report.
