3-Alarm Fire Breaks Out in Oxford, Mass.

A 3-alarm fire broke out Wednesday in Oxford, Massachusetts.

The fire at 235 Old Webster Rd. was mostly out by around 9 p.m.

Crews remained on the scene, planning to tear down part of the business. They were testing the air quality and working to determine the cause of the fire at the building.

An employee who was in the building at the time called 911.

Firefighters have had difficulty battling the blaze, which was outside of the hydrant zone. Responders have had to rely on a nearby pond to get water on the fire.

Oxford Fire Chief Sheri Bemis said the location, a former chemical plant, is familiar to her department.

"The facility that's burning right now has been repurposed to a gentleman who basically strips lumber from old buildings," said Bemis. "There's no chemicals existing in that building to our knowledge."

Witnesses recall hearing a loud boom before a fire ball shot out the back of a building.

"It was burning, you heard a few explosions," said neighbor Lucille Reece. "It was a little scary."

Crews from Oxford, Webster, Douglas and Leicester were on the scene.

No injuries have been reported.

Stay with necn as this story develops.

Contact Us