Special Feature: Uxbridge - 8th Alarm + Many Special Calls, Depot Street 7/21/07

In the early morning hours of Saturday July 21st shortly before 5 am Uxbridge firefighters responded to a fire at the Benat mill complex on Depot street not far from fire headquarters. Arriving crews had heavy smoke showing from the massive 400,000 square foot renovated mill complex that was occupied by a wide array of offices, retail shops and small industries. The fire quickly went to a 3rd alarm, and despite all the resource on scene crews were quickly overwhelmed by the rapidly spreading fire accompanied by several small explosions.

The fire eventually reached 8 alarms as the morning wore one and the fire consumed every inch of the sprawling complex. Chemicals spilled into the nearby Blackstone river and ignited creating a "river of flame" until the substance completely burned off. Mutiple county task forces began arriving and going to work as well as staging along with numerous EMS units in downtown. The fire burned thoughout the day and evening, and as I am writing this on 7/23/07 the fire continues to smolder as heavy equipment is being used to sift through the rubble for hotspots as well as demolish walls that are in danger of collapse. The mill was occupied by 65+ small businesses employing more than 300 people. The state is helping business owners and those effected with disaster aid. Over 85 pieces of apparatus with support and EMS units too numerous to mention responded from more than 45 cities and towns in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.


Holden, MA's tower ladder going to work at the rear of the mill complex.


Apparatus from numerous cities and towns line Mendon St. as a fuel truck arrives to refuel apparatus that at this point had been working for more than 5 hours.


A shot of the front of the Benat mill from across the Prospect Hill Cemetery as Worcester Ladder 1, along with several other ladder companies on Depot St. pour water into the mill from their master streams.


Paxton firefighters gearing up and going to work at the North Main St. staging area.


A closeup shot showing a plug that is feeding a Blackstone engine company. Engines from Sturbridge and Charlton can be seen in the background.


Holden's tower flowing water into the mill with a Sterling engine in the foreground.


A second tower goes to work alongside Holden's tower.


A rare sight, two Sutphen towers operating side by side. The second tower working is from Webster, MA.


EMS units from numerous private ambulance companies, and several towns stage on North Main Street. EMS staging was later moved to accommodate additional task forces of fire apparatus.

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