Massive five-alarm fire burning at boatyard in Mattapoisett
© Peter Pereira
Crews battle a massive fire that has destroyed buildings, cars and vessels at a boat yard in Mattapoisett, Mass., Friday, Aug. 19, 2022. The area of the fire was part of a Weather Service warning Friday of elevated fire risk due to drought and high winds. It sent a plume of dense black smoke over southeastern Massachusetts. (Peter Pereira/The Standard-Times via AP)
A massive fire at a boatyard in Mattapoisett reached five alarms Friday afternoon, according to fire officials.
Aerial video footage from WCVB-TV showed multiple buildings, boats, and cars engulfed in flames.
The Associated Press reported that firefighters from several departments as far away as Providence, R.I., responded to the blaze. The Lakeville Fire Department said on Twitter that it had firefighters at the scene and posted a photo of a ladder truck supporting a hose that was trained on a smoldering structure.
Lakeville currently on scene at Mattapoisett 5th alarm. pic.twitter.com/QWdexVqQwk
— Lakeville Fire Dept. (@LakevilleMAFD) August 19, 2022
The fire was at 32 Ned’s Point Road in Mattapoisett, according to Jake Wark, a spokesman for the state Department of Fire Services.
“The fire reached five alarms and activated the Statewide Fire Mobilization Plan, which will bring additional resources to assist Mattapoisett FD and mutual aid departments,” Wark said in an e-mail. “The Department of Fire Services has sent an Incident Support Unit to assist incident commanders and a Rehab Unit to support firefighters at the scene.”
Wark said State Police fire investigators will work with the Mattapoisett Fire Department to determine the fire’s origin and cause.
Photos and video on social media showed large plumes of dark smoke emanating from the scene of the fire.
#mattapoisettfire pic.twitter.com/IYywvfJYr1
— Robin Love (@RobinLove3) August 19, 2022
The National Weather Service tweeted that their radar was detecting “what is most likely a smoke plume” coming from that area.
[145 PM Fri] Radar is detecting what is most likely a smoke plume in Mattapoisett, MA. pic.twitter.com/ivTwNo83rs
— NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) August 19, 2022
The Salvation Army of Massachusetts said on Twitter that it had personnel at the boatyard, “providing hydration and food to first responders battling the blaze.”
EDS Update: @SalArmyEDS is responding to this 5-alarm fire in a #Mattapoisett boat yard, providing hydration and food to first responders battling the blaze. https://t.co/gpx6IIdSzf
— The Salvation Army of Massachusetts (@SalvationArmyMA) August 19, 2022
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Globe correspondent Jeremy C. Fox contributed reporting.
