Firefighters Douse Flaming Vehicle on Route 128

The Friday morning commute experienced a bit of an extra delay when a vehicle ended up covered in flames around 5:20 a.m.

Peabody firefighters doused a flaming vehicle Friday morning on Route 128 North where it splits with I-95 North. According to scanner reports, firefighters responded to the scene around 5:20 a.m. along with state police to find the vehicle engulfed in flames. Within 25 minutes, the fire was knocked down. No injuries were reported and the rightmost travel lane was closed temporarily. A sander was called to the scene, as the road way was icing up.

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Dean, Ciampa Praised for Going 'Extra Mile' to Earn Promotions

Both veteran firefighters were formally sworn into office on Tuesday afternoon.

Although they don't have as many years on the job as some of their peers, Capt. Daniel Dean and Lt. Ronald Ciampa have excelled and gone the extra mile to earn their promotions, Fire Chief Steve Pasdon said. That's because the two men have gone above and beyond their regular duties to pitch in wherever needed and took advantage of numerous free training sessions available from the state Department of Fire Services, he said. On top of that, both men did have the highest scores on their Civil Service promotional exams. "I challenge you both at the end of the day that you leave the Fire Department better than you found it," Pasdon told Dean and Ciampa, adding that both men work out of his former division (2) and he considers them both friends…

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Promotions Take 2: Dean and Ciampa Up the Ladder

Mayor will promote two veteran Peabody firefighters.

Hurricane Sandy put a damper on Mayor Ted Bettencourt's original plans to promote two firefighters on Oct. 29, and that ceremony has now been rescheduled for Nov. 20. Peabody resident Lt. Daniel Dean, a seven-year veteran of the Peabody Fire Department, will be tapped for Captain's rank while Ronald Ciampa, who has four years in, will be promoted to Lieutenant. Dean, who was appointed to Lieutenant's rank in 2010, is currently assigned to Division 2, Engine 1 and Ciampa is on Division 2, Ladder 1. A ceremony to swear in both men is scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday at City Hall.

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Firefighters Sweep Away Large Brush Fire in South Peabody Woods

Crews spent more than two hours Monday afternoon in the woods behind Spring Pond, tamping down a large brush fire.

Peabody firefighters, on foot and armed with nothing more than brooms and a couple fire extinguishers, battled a large brush fire Monday afternoon in South Peabody, about a half-mile into the woods behind Spring Pond. Deputy Fire Chief Richard Nelson said that due to the wind, the fire spread to four separate areas, all of which were tamped down by 3:30 p.m. when he and about a dozen firefighters filed out of the woods, carrying their brooms. The crew from Engine 5 was the first to arrive on the scene Monday around 1 p.m., staging from an emergency vehicle access road near the pump house at the pond. Two more pump engines were called in shortly afterward and a third engine was called in around 2:20 p.m., staging from the end of Sunset …

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John Castelluccio

8:55 pm on Monday, November 12, 2012

Anna, we simply replaced the photo when we had some pictures from the scene today. That was an old file photo from another brush fire a couple years ago. No one asked us to remove it.   more ›

Four Suffer Major Injuries After Vehicle Rolls Over on Route 128

Police shut down Route 128 southbound at Route 114 this afternoon, following a serious motor vehicle crash.

Route 128 southbound at Route 114 was shut down Monday afternoon after a motor vehicle rolled over and left all four occupants seriously injured. A call came in at approximately 4 p.m., reporting the rollover just before the Lowell Street exit. Multiple Peabody fire engines responded to the scene. According to radio transmissions, two people were ejected from the vehicle and two were stuck inside, but eventually freed themselves and were walking around at the scene. Units at the scene said all four victims were suffering major traumatic injuries and were being treated by EMTs before transport to the hospital. Stay with Peabody Patch for more details as they become available.

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Peabody Fire Douses One-Alarm Blaze in Basement of Home

Firefighters were forced to evacuate the basement of the West Peabody home at one point when the ceiling collapsed, but no one was injured and the fire was shortly under control.

Peabody firefighters responded to a one-alarm house fire at 12 Helen Dr. Friday afternoon. The fire was first reported at approximately 3 p.m. and was located in the basement of the home, according to scanner reports. At one point, firefighters were ordered out of the basement as the ceiling collapsed, but the situation was under control about 15 minutes after crews arrived at the scene. No one was trapped inside. Crews spent several minutes venting the home after the fire was knocked down. An ambulance was on scene, but no civilian or firefighter injuries were reported. Salem, Lynn and Lynnfield engines provided station coverage for Peabody crews. Peabody engines 1, 3, 4 and 7 responded to the fire, along with Tower 1.

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Peabody Firefighters Come to Rescue of Injured Swan

This swan was camped out in the marshy area by the lake.

Peabody firefighters Ryan Mulvey, Adam Skelton and John Spofford rescued an injured swan by Crystal Lake Monday morning. Dispatchers received a call initially just before 11 a.m. from a person reporting there was an injured swan near the corner of Lowell Street and Crystal Drive (in the marshy area by the lake). The swan appeared to be "sunning" itself.

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PHOTOS: Over 100 Ride for Rice

More than 100 motorcycles and riders wound their way through Peabody, Lynnfield, Middleton and Danvers and back to the IACC on Blaney Street in a show of respect for fallen Peabody firefighter Jim Rice.

On Saturday, more than 100 motorcycles embarked from Fire Headquarters on an hour-long ride through neighboring towns in memory of fallen Peabody firefighter James Rice. Rice died battling a three-alarm fire on Dec. 23, 2011. Ricey's Run, which was organized by the Fire & Iron Firefighters Motorcycle Club and the Italian-American Citizen's Club, was yet one more way for the community to pay tribute to Rice and continue to support his family. The ride was followed by activities at the IACC, including fun, food, a DJ and raffles. All proceeds from the fundraiser benefited the James Rice Memorial Fund, which was created in the wake of the tragedy to aid Rice's wife and three children. "On this day many lives were changed forever. This loss of…

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One Victim to MGH Boston After Car Into Pole

A car hit a telephone pole on Lowell Street Monday night, trapping the driver inside the vehicle.

One victim was transported to Mass. General Hospital in Boston Monday night after the person's car hit a telephone pole on Lowell Street. Police, fire and EMS responded to the intersection of Lowell Street and Priscilla Lane just before 8:30 p.m. to find the vehicle into the pole and the driver trapped inside. Boston MedFlight was initially called in with the high school as the landing zone, but the flight was later canceled and the victim was taken to the hospital by ambulance. The Fire Department used the Jaws of Life to extricate the victim -- two sets of equipment were being used at one point -- and crews at the scene reported they were successful after about 15 minutes. Lowell Street was temporarily closed in both directions while …

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John Castelluccio

12:54 pm on Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Thanks, Kristin, for spotting that. It was a typo.   more ›

Damage Contained to One Room in Saturday Morning Apartment Fire

Fire damaged an apartment early Saturday morning.

A fire in a unit at the Terrace Estates apartments early Saturday morning was contained to one room. The Peabody Fire Department got the first call at 6:06 a.m. reporting smoke in the building, according to firefighter Russ Lewis. The condominium at 57 Garden Road is within sight of Route 128 across from the North Shore Mall. When firefighters arrived, “there were some flames showing on the outside of the building,” Lewis said. The mother and daughter that live in the unit were able to get out safely. There were no injuries. The fire was contained to just one room in the unit, but Lewis said he could not yet release information about which room burned. The fire was under control in about 10 minutes and firefighters remained on scene until …

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