Three-Alarm Blaze Destroys Vacant Zimble Drum Factory-July 23, 2005

On July 22, 2005, a massive three-alarm fire tore through Norwood, completely demolishing the long-vacant Zimble Drum building located at 61 Endicott Street. Firefighters arrived at the scene shortly before 4 p.m. after towering flames and thick, dark smoke began pouring from the abandoned metal factory. The structure, which had sat empty for many years, was slated to be redeveloped into a modern condominium complex, according to residents living nearby on Lane Drive, a neighborhood of single-family homes that directly abuts the industrial property. At the height of the blaze, intense heat and towering fire reached the tree line, prompting police to briefly advise area residents to evacuate due to concerns over potential chemical hazards stored within the defunct plant.

While no major injuries were reported, the fire created significant anxiety among neighbors regarding environmental safety. Residents noted that transients and teenagers were frequently seen hanging out inside the abandoned structure. Furthermore, historical records from the Environmental Protection Agency and the Norwood Fire Department revealed that state environmental protection officials had previously been called to the scrap metal recycling facility in May 2002 to inspect abandoned containers, drums, and gas cylinders left behind by previous operations. Despite the proximity of the roaring fire and concerns over residual industrial chemicals, many homeowners chose to stay put. Richard Davies, a Lane Drive resident living less than a quarter mile from the site, captured the defiant sentiment of the neighborhood, stating, “This is my house, I’m not going to leave. No one’s really leaving anyway.” Fire crews worked aggressively to contain the inferno, successfully preventing the flames from spreading to nearby residences while reducing the historic industrial eyesore to ruins.

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