Gloucester Firefighters Extinguish Back-to-Back Fires

GLOUCESTER -- Chief Eric Smith reports that the Gloucester Fire Department extinguished two fires back-to-back Sunday morning.

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Gloucester firefighters responded to two fires Sunday morning, first at a laundromat, then immediately after at detached garage on New Way Lane. (Courtesy Photos Gloucester Fire Department)

GLOUCESTER — Chief Eric Smith reports that the Gloucester Fire Department extinguished two fires back-to-back Sunday morning. 

At 7:40 a.m., the Gloucester Fire Department was dispatched to Home Style Laundry, 212 Main St., for a report of a fire. Upon arrival, firefighters observed heavy smoke inside the building and identified and quickly extinguished a small fire burning inside a dryer, which had extended into the dryer’s vent.

While firefighters answered the first call,

Gloucester Engines three and four, as well as members of the Rockport Fire Department, responded to provide station coverage.

As crews began to clear the scene of the dryer fire, coverage crews were dispatched at 8:25 a.m, to a report of a garage fire at 50B New Way Lane. Upon arrival, firefighters found the detached garage fully engulfed in flames and worked to extinguish the blaze and prevent it from spreading to the surrounding woods.

A resident who was inside the garage at the time of the fire was treated on-scene for first-degree burns, which he suffered while trying to extinguish the fire himself. There were no injuries at the laundromat.

The Essex Fire Department also responded to New Way Lane to provide mutual aid, and off-duty Gloucester firefighters were called back to provide additional coverage. 

The fire at Home Style Laundry was determined to be accidental, while the garage fire remains under investigation by the Gloucester Fire Department. 

The garage was determined to be a total loss due to the fire.