Mill Creek Crossing Neighborhood Association

Fire Threatens MCC Homes; Kids Playing with Matches Suspected

Mar 22, 2002

On March 13th firemen from Station 81 responded to a large grass fire that erupted about 2PM in the greenbelt behind MCCNA homes on Bard Drive. The Battalion Chief called in a brush truck, which was delayed getting to the fire by a lack of access to the greenbelt from Bard. The truck made its way to the fire via Commerce Street, then rumbled off-road through the woods and over Mill Creek to the blaze.

Meanwhile, firefighters used both their fire hoses and water from resident?’s garden hoses to slow the spread of the fire. High, gusty winds and an abundance of dry brush made this a particularly dangerous situation. Fortunately, the fire was discovered before homes were damaged, but several residents had their back fences scorched.

Evidence recovered at the scene lead fire investigators to conclude that bored, unsupervised kids playing with a lighter started the fire. The fire was under control by 5PM, but fire crews remained on the scene for four more hours watching for flare-ups and dousing hot spots.