LYNN — Two unrelated fires, which began in rapid succession on the porches of two Lynn homes Tuesday afternoon on Lander Street and Western Avenue, were quickly knocked down by the Lynn Fire Department.
While the fires both started on residential porches at similar times, the affected homes were located in separate parts of the city.
“A lot of furnishing on the porch appears to have caught fire somehow,” said Fire Chief Stephen Archer of the fire that occurred at a 2½ story building at 215 Western Ave., “And it’s filled the rest of the house with heavy smoke.”
It was declared a working fire at 3:44 p.m., and was knocked down by firefighters within 10 minutes. The fire had been contained to the area of the second-floor porch where it began, Archer said.
At 32 Lander St., the fire was mostly contained to a second-floor porch, but there was minor damage to the interior of the home, Archer said.
Firefighters responded to the fire at 3:11 p.m. and remained on the scene for a little over an hour. Archer said the residents would be able to return to their home on Tuesday night.
However, Archer was unsure if residents of the Western Avenue home would be able to return to their building that night.
While the cause of both fires has still not been determined, Archer said there has been a rash of recent fires that have begun on porches as a result of people smoking and not properly extinguishing those cigarettes.
“Too frequently it’s caused by smoking materials,” said Archer. “People aren’t being careful enough about thoroughly extinguishing their cigarettes.”
Guthrie Scrimgeour can be reached at [email protected].
