In 1971, Mayor
Spelman had fought for and acquired the approval of an Urban Renewal
Plan for the ward two area of Chelsea. The first phase of the plan
was to transform a large area of the “rag shop district”
into a modern industrial park. The “rag shop area”
consisted of dilapidated, wood frame and tin clad structures, most,
two and three stories in height. By the Fall of 1973, thirty-nine
buildings had been vacated, but demolition had not begun. Most of the
former occupants vacated the buildings, abandoning unmarketable
storage both inside and outside.
The
“salvage” or “junk shop area”, of Chelsea was
often referred to as “Millionaire’s Row,” yet the city
collected very little in taxes. World War II brought a boom to the
salvage industry with the demand for salvageable paper, rags, rubber
tires, scrap rubber and various scrap metals. When World War II ended
the need for scrap material declined leaving the dealers with a huge
accumulation. The large accumulation was stored outside, resulting in
many serious fires through the years.
Sunday, October
14, 1973 was a clear, warm day with the temperature rising close to
seventy degrees. It was an extremely windy day with a wind from the
west (gusting from 30 to 45 mph). The weather had been abnormally
dry, with only one-third of an inch of rain fallen in the previous
three weeks. The average, rainfall for this period, normally would be
two and one-half inches. To the firefighters and all who lived
through that day in Chelsea, October 14, 1973, the experience will
forever be etched in their memories.
At 3:56 pm an
alarm of fire was received from street box 215 at the corner of Third
and Arlington Street, four blocks away from the fire. The fire began
in a tin clad wood frame building at 122 Summer Street. The first
response apparatus was greeted by a moving wall of fire consuming all
exposures and rolling across Summer Street. Soon, all of Summer
Street was in flames and was spreading to Maple and Third Street. The
firefighters were able to hold the fire at Second Street with help of
the wind. The announcement that Chelsea had a conflagration and
needed all help available, was sent out by Newton Fire Control
District 13. Sixty-seven departments throughout Massachusetts and one
from Hampton, New Hampshire responded to the fire. Chelsea was now in
the midst of a fire storm with the fire sweeping
uncontrolled. The fire continued along Spruce Street to
Arlington Street, consuming everything on Elm Street and destroying
the Elm Street Synagogue at Everett Avenue. Buildings were literally
exploding into flames by radiation and convection. Efforts to save
the buildings ablaze were fruitless, everything now was concentrated
on containing the fire.
A stand was set
up at Everett Avenue, a sixty-foot wide street. In spite of the
stand, radiated heat and huge flying brands whipped by the winds,
spread to the Emerald Auto Parts and the Engine Five station at
Everett Avenue and Fourth Street. The fire station received damage
but was saved. The three story wood homes along Fourth Street were
exploding into flames. A Medford fire engine was trapped on Vale
Street and destroyed. Also on Vale Street, twenty three homes and the
city yards with a mass of vehicles and equipment were destroyed.
Meanwhile the flames continued up Arlington Street consuming the row
of three and four story brick homes opposite the Williams School. A
concentrated effort was being made to protect the school. A water
curtain was set up with water being relayed from eight, ten and
twelve blocks away. Firefighters were placed on the roof of the
school dousing flying brands. On the street, firefighters with their
backs to the school, (withstanding excessively high temperatures and
in constant risk from collapsing buildings and flying bricks) made a
heroic stand. The walls of the school were steaming but the
superhuman efforts of the firefighters paid off, the school was
saved. The fire’s advance was checked at this point.
Shortly before
11:00 P.M. flaming brands blown on to the City Hall had ignited the
roof and fire was working into the attic of the building. Deputy Ed
Roche, already exhausted from directing and fighting the main fire
was dispatched to direct fighting the fire at the City Hall. About
one dozen out of town fire companies were forwarded to the location.
The fire was extinguished before it could extend and cause extensive
damage. At this point Deputy Roche collapsed from exhaustion and
smoke inhalation. The Deputy was carried down over the aerial ladder
to a waiting ambulance and rushed to the hospital.
The fire had
destroyed eighteen city blocks, forty-five acres, an area one mile
long and one half-mile wide. There were no reported fatalities, but
the injuries were numerous.
The point of
origin of the 1908 fire and the 1973 fire were less than 200 feet
apart. Replacing the once former “rag shop” district are:
office condos, banks, medical buildings, a shopping center and a
seven story hotel as well as other community-responsible businesses
of all types.