Fire Hits Norwood Bird Inc. Shingle Plant on Pleasant Street-November 11, 1995

Series of Explosions in Oil Tank Triggers Three-Alarm Fire; Quick Mutual Aid Response Extinguishes Blaze in Under an Hour

A series of explosions in an oil tank at the Bird Inc. asphalt shingle plant on Pleasant Street triggered a dramatic three-alarm fire Friday afternoon, sending thick plumes of black smoke billowing into the sky that were visible as far away as Boston.

Firefighters extinguished the potentially hazardous blaze in less than an hour, with one plant worker transported to Norwood Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. According to Fire Chief William Sullivan, the emergency began at approximately 2:45 p.m. when “a series of small explosions” erupted in an oil tank containing roughly 6,800 gallons of thermal oil used to heat liquid asphalt.

Rapid Mutual Aid and Foam Suppression Prevent Wider Disaster

Chief Sullivan immediately struck a third alarm, bringing mutual aid engine and ladder companies rushing to the scene within eight minutes from Dedham, Sharon, Walpole, Foxboro, and Canton. Firefighters deployed approximately 1,000 gallons of specialized fire-suppression foam to conquer roaring flames that leaped as high as 20 feet from the compromised tank.

“We probably dumped about a thousand gallons of foam on it. The guys did a hell of a job,” Sullivan praised. Fire officials noted that their primary tactical concern was protecting a series of nearby fuel storage tanks threatened by the intense heat. Fortunately, favorable wind directions kept the smoke away from adjacent residential neighborhoods, making evacuations unnecessary. Firefighters remained on the scene for several hours monitoring hot spots as investigators worked to determine the exact cause of the accident.

Plant History and Previous Neighborhood Concerns

Friday’s incident marked the second major fire at a Bird facility within four months, following a July blaze set by vandals using fireworks that destroyed a vacant company paper mill in East Walpole.

Established in 1885, Bird Inc. stands as one of the oldest manufacturing enterprises in North America, historically producing asphalt and rag roofing shingles used on more than half the homes throughout New England. The Pleasant Street facility had previously faced neighborhood scrutiny; in 1993, the company secured approval from the Norwood Board of Selectmen to construct six additional asphalt storage and processing tanks, bringing the plant’s total storage capacity to 480,000 gallons despite pushback from local residents citing noise, dust, and foul odors.

Archival Note: This article has been dynamically reconstructed from the original public record print archives of the Patriot Ledger