Norwood and Westwood firemen risked death or injury by explosion to battle a flash fire at the Route 1 plant of the Norfolk Asphalt Company at the Norwood-Westwood line on Tuesday afternoon that caused $3000 damage before being brought under control.
The fire, of undetermined origin, flared up outside one of three huge 20,000-gallon tanks shortly after 1:00 p.m. With the plant located directly on the Norwood-Westwood line, alarms were sounded in the fire stations of both towns.
When the Norwood apparatus arrived, a huge cloud of black smoke was rising several hundred feet in the air, and Fire Capt. Joseph McCormack ordered heavy hose lines run from a hydrant at Route 1 and Everett Street to the scene of the blaze. Fire Chief Herbert Wiggin of Westwood and his men stood side by side with the Norwood firemen as they poured foam chemicals onto the blaze.
The Norwood apparatus laid 2650 feet of hose line along Route 1 to reach the blaze and Norwood and Westwood. police routed vehicle traffic away from the area.
After conferring with plant officials, firemen set the damage at $3000. The firefighters were at the scene for over two hours before the all-out was recorded.
(All articles originally published in the Norwood Messenger)
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