Fires

House Destroyed, One Fatality in Edgartown Fire

A 32-year-old man died late Wednesday night in a house fire in Edgartown, according to police, and two other occupants were injured. Police said an investigation has concluded that the fire was started by improper disposal of smoking materials.

Community Helps Family After House Fire

The Vineyard community is rallying around a Vineyard Haven family after a weekend house fire left the family uninjured but destroyed all their belongings.

Firefighters Quell Tuesday Night Brush Fire in West Tisbury

West Tisbury volunteer firefighters spent several hours on election night dousing a brush fire in a stump pit at John Keene Excavation off Old Stage Road. About 30 firefighters responded to the scene, which was cleared just after 1 a.m.

Katama House Fire Quickly Extinguished

Edgartown fire personnel quickly extinguished an early afternoon house fire on Dunes Road in Katama that was likely caused by mulch, according to the fire chief. There was nobody at the home at the time of the fire.

Quick Response Quells Sunday Afternoon Brush Fire in West Tisbury

Volunteer firefighters from four towns responded quickly and effectively Sunday afternoon to extinguish a fast-moving brush fire near the West Tisbury School on a blustery day.

The fire burned between an acre and a half to two acres of forested land between the Island Children’s School on Halcyon Way and the West Tisbury School, West Tisbury fire chief Manuel Estrella 3rd told the Gazette. The fire started in a mulch pile that combusted, Chief Estrella said. There were no injuries or damage to property.

Triceratops Incineration? Not on Island Firemens' Watch

Quick response by volunteer firefighters on Barnes Road in Oak Bluffs Wednesday night saved both a summer home and a seven and a half foot triceratops skull. The skull is owned by Dr. Henry Kriegstein, a collector of rare fossils.

Firefighters, EMS Respond to House Blaze in Oak Bluffs

Fire personnel from Oak Bluffs, Edgartown, Tisbury and West Tisbury were called to a house fire in Oak Bluffs Wednesday night.

Oak Bluffs Transfer Station Set to Reopen Following Fire

The cause of the Monday evening fire was accidental, Oak Bluffs fire chief John Rose said. The source was a pile of construction debris.

Grey Barn Farm Closes Following Fire in Creamery

The Grey Barn Farm stand has been closed following a fire in the creamery late Friday. "We’ve closed the farmstand for the foreseeable future. Also . . . we won’t be doing tours anymore,” owner Eric Glasgow said.

Elevated Fire Risk Today

The combination of dry air and gusty winds will enhance the risk for fires across the state, including on the Vineyard, the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency has announced.

The National Weather Service has issued a special weather statement warning of the increased threat.

“Local Fire Weather officials have advised that fine fuels, grasses and leaf litter, will be very receptive for ignition. In fact any fire across unshaded fine fuels can rapidly spread in these gusty conditions,” the statement said.

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