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| Firefighters battle a blaze at the former S. Bent & Brothers factory Tuesday night. (T&G Staff/CHRISTINE PETERSON) |
george.barnes@telegram.com
GARDNER — Firefighters were called Tuesday night to a three-alarm blaze at the former S. Bent & Brothers on Mill Street.
The fire in the old furniture company office building started in what was the loading area.
Fire Lt. Craig Osowski said the fire was called in by police at 10:22 p.m. He said the first arriving firefighters found flames coming out of all five loading docks and it was shooting through the roof. Second and third alarms were called to bring off duty firefighters and area departments to assist city firefighters.
Lt. Osowski said the fire was contained mostly in the loading area and was burning from the outside about 20-25 feet into the building.
The biggest challenge to firefighters was getting equipment past large cement blocks placed in the way to prevent illegal dumping. A loader and fire truck had to be used to move the blocks.
The building has been vacant for many years. It was last operated by Samuel Bent LLC before it was taken by the city for back taxes.
The fire is likely to be the last straw for the building that has been shelter to homeless people. City officials had already been exploring whether grants were available to cover the cost of demolishing the structure.
Two people were injured in a fire at the site just last week. Firefighters responding to Tuesday's fire searched the perimeter for any occupants but the building was condemned and deemed unsafe to go inside. Police later found people known to stay in the building nearby in the woods.
The factory was founded in 1867 by Samuel, Charles O. and Roderic L. Bent. Five-spindle chairs for Heywood-Wakefield were among the first items produced there, according to the History of Gardner Massachusetts 1785-1967 by Esther Gilman Moore. The factory closed in 2001.
More recently it was taken by the city and was being developed.
Firefighters remained at the building early Wednesday morning extinguished fire remnants and flare-ups. The state fire marshal's office was called to the scene.
Contact George Barnes at George.Barnes@telegram.com.
Now that it is getting cold out I think we will see more people looking for a place to stay warm. As we sit at our computers, it may be hard to imagine there are a large number of people who have been living in camping areas and in the woods all summer long. These people will be looking for a place to stay warm and that may have been the case last night. Shelters fill up early, and it is really hard on women with children to find a safe place to go. Is there a solution to this problem ? Not a easy fix to be sure, but I know no one wants to be in this position. Bev.
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