Thick smoke billowed from the well-known Pollo Campero establishment at Park Square on Sunday evening as firefighters confronted hazardous circumstances that necessitated their repeated withdrawal from the structure while they worked to extinguish the dramatic fire.
Ultimately, the response proved efficient, with responders bringing the blaze under control in under sixty minutes.
The investigation remains ongoing this week, according to Chief Len Albanese, who characterized the restaurant as a complete loss. “fblikebutton_button”
“The fire is still under investigation;
however, I can report at this time that it appears that the fire started in a
concealed space within a wall, then traveled to the loft space above the
ceiling where the fire was allowed to burn for some time before breaking out
and activating the Fire Alarm system,” he said. “This would account for the
major fire condition on arrival even though the building had a working fire
alarm system. Also, there were no sprinklers within the structure. The fire
remains under investigation for a definitive cause that will be reported upon
completion.”
While no members of the public sustained injuries, one firefighter was hurt during operations.
At 11:40 p.m. on Sunday, Chelsea Fire Alarm received notification of fire from Box 1134 regarding the Pollo Campero restaurant situated at 115 Park St. When Capt. Phil Rogers arrived with the initial units from Chelsea E2 and L1, substantial smoke was visible emanating from the building’s rear. Deputy Wayne Ulwick from C4 took command upon arrival and immediately declared a Working Fire. Given the intensity of the interior blaze and heavy smoke conditions, a Second Alarm was put into effect, summoning additional companies from Revere, Everett, Boston and MassPort. Multiple evacuations of personnel became necessary as conditions deteriorated rapidly, prompting firefighters to switch to defensive tactics employing blitz guns, hand lines and ladder pipes to combat the fire.
The situation was brought under control within approximately one hour.
The Boston Sparks Club, led by President Paul Boudreau, arrived on scene to provide Re-Hab and refreshments for firefighting personnel. Chelsea Police managed traffic and crowd control throughout the incident. Mutual aid companies from Medford and Boston also participated in the response.
According to Chief Albanese, the defensive approach was necessary because the structure had deteriorated too severely for interior operations. The owners, however, have expressed their commitment to reconstruction. “It was determined that the fire was well
involved within the structure, and crews were ordered out of the building and
proceeded with a defensive fire attack,” he said. “Given the time of day, a
closed business and no reports of occupants, this was the safest course of
action given that very early on it was apparent that this building could not be
saved. Members of Fire Prevention are working with the ownership, who reported
to us that they intend to rebuild as soon as possible.”