5.30.06 PLYMOUTH COUNTY HOSPITAL

For the third time since April of 2004, Hanson firefighters responded to a multi-alarm fire at the old Plymouth County Hospital on High Street. In this most recent case the blaze went to three alarms with the towns of East Bridgewater, Whitman, Halifax, Pembroke, Rockland and Hanover assisting at the scene.

The fire broke out at around 5 pm on Tuesday May 30th, and first arriving companies found heavy smoke showing and had a report of people in the building. Although a primary search was initiated, it quickly had to be ended as the condition of the roof rapidly deteriorated with portions begining to collapse. Throughout the suppression of the fire, interior search was made in the portions of the structure away from the fire, but all searches came up negative.

The fire was contained within an hour primarily by the use of three aerial master streams provided by Hanson and East Bridgewater’s towers and Whitman’s new ladder truck. The Providence Canteen provided some much welcome refreshment near the end of the day.

Two of Hanson’s firefighters were transported to an area hospital and treated for heat exhaustion and dehydration.

 

In April of 2004 another part of the sprawling County Hospital complex suffered a 4 alarm fire, and a 2 alarm fire struck a Detached part of the complex in September of 2005. The old tuberculosis hospital has been sitting unused since 1992 and has become a hang out for local teens despite the boarded up doors and windows, the signs warning them to stay off the property and frequent arrests made by Police. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

 

MORE IMAGES FROM THIS INCIDENT CAN BE SEEN BY CLICKING HERE