Three Juveniles to Face Charges in Connection with Orange Fire

ORANGE — Orange Fire Chief James Young, Orange Police Chief James Sullivan, State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey, and Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan announced today that three juveniles will face criminal charges in connection with the massive fire that destroyed four buildings in Orange this weekend.

The youths, whose ages range between 12 and 14, were identified late

yesterday in the course of an ongoing investigation by local and state officials. Their names are not being released because of their age. All three will be summonsed to Greenfield Juvenile Court on arson-related delinquency charges. An arraignment date has not been set. 

“I would again like to thank the residents of Orange and our surrounding towns for their support since Saturday,” said Chief Young. “I’d also like to express our gratitude for the tremendous mutual aid response by our brother and sister firefighters from across the region and the state.”

Saturday’s fire in the area of 16 West River St. was jointly investigated by the Orange Fire Department, the Orange Police Department, the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and the State Police Detective Unit assigned to the Northwestern District Attorney’s office.

The fire was first reported at about 11:45 on Saturday morning. On arrival, firefighters found heavy smoke and flames at the vacant mill building and three others in the area, including one on East River Street. Crews worked through the day and night to contain the fire, extinguish it, and chase hotspots.

While it was initially believed that five buildings were involved, one of these was in close proximity to a brush fire but did not sustain any structural damage. Two people reported injuries that were treated at the scene and did not require medical transport. No one was displaced.

Though the fire officially reached five alarms, the response from regional fire departments was equivalent to a six- or seven-alarm fire. Companies from dozens of departments assisted at the scene or provided station coverage. The state’s Fire Mobilization Plan was activated, bringing in statewide task forces to support the massive effort. 

In addition to regional resources, the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services deployed two Rehab units to support firefighters at the scene, an Incident Support Unit to assist commanders, a Drone Unit to obtain aerial imagery of the structures, and a Hazmat team to conduct air monitoring for health hazards. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and Department of Environmental Protection also responded to assist.

Juvenile firesetting is a serious issue that contributes to dozens of fires each year in Massachusetts. About half of these fires are started using smoking materials such as matches and lighters. Chief Young, Chief Sullivan, State Fire Marshal Ostroskey, and District Attorney Sullivan take this opportunity to urge parents and caregivers to keep these items away from children and explain the dangers of fire. To learn more about responses to youth firesetting, visit the Department of Fire Services’ website or the Northwestern District Attorney’s website.