By Brian Lee
The Telegram & Gazette
SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. — With the building torn down, the cause of an early morning Oct. 17 blaze that destroyed a five-family three-decker at 7 Pearl St. won’t likely ever be known, Fire Chief Richard J. Ciesla Jr. said.
But what is known is, if it were not for the heroic acts of four firefighters and two police sergeants, “I’m positive lives would have been lost,” he said.
At the Town Council meeting Monday, Police Chief Daniel R. Charette presented Lifesaving Awards to Sgts. Wayne Boiteau and Carlos Dingui, who told firefighters that people were trapped in the burning building.
The sergeants made their way to the third floor under heavy smoke and fire and located a man who couldn’t make it down the staircase. The sergeants escorted him.
Chief Ciesla gave special recognition to Firefighters Jacques Kallanian and Jonathan Parrettie, Call Firefighter Travis McDonald and Auxiliary Firefighter Nicholas Cantara.
Firefighter Kallanian and the crew encountered two floors of heavy fire blowing out the rear and sides of the structure.
With flames steadily pushing to the front of the building, a voice from above captured their attention. A woman was at a third-floor window, the fire chief said.
The woman’s escape had been cut off by heat and smoke, and she threatened to jump, Chief Ciesla said.
The engine crew grabbed the ground ladder and Firefighter Kallanian climbed it and assisted the resident. She was checked by EMTs and taken to Harrington Hospital.
Chief Charette said he is proud of the way police officers and firefighters work well together here. Some communities don’t have that, he said.
“Every now and then, there’s an act that goes way above and beyond what anybody should do, or anybody should expect of another person,” he said.
Resident Deborah J. Gregoire-Lefebvre said she was “blown away” by the response to her call two weeks ago for people to help the eight residents who lost their apartments by donating clothes and items.
“Every single day the fire chief called me and said, ‘Can you please come and pick up some donations.’ Every single day. We’ve gotten so much. This is more than I ever could have hoped for.”
Copyright 2010 Worcester Telegram & Gazette, Inc.