Manufacturing Mill Fire (Methuen, MA - December 1995)

An explosion and fire in an industrial complex in Methuen, Massachusetts on December 11, 1995 injured 37 people and destroyed nearly one million square feet of manufacturing space. Several workers were critically burned by the initial explosion and 6 firefighters received minor injuries as the incident progressed. The ensuing fire, driven by 40 mile per hour winds, destroyed several large buildings in the complex, which straddled the municipal boundary between the cities of Lawrence and Methuen. » Overview » Key Issues » Location » The Complex » Building Descriptions » Fire Protection Systems » Guard Service » Process Hazards » Previous Incidents » Explosion » Search and Rescue » Fire Suppression » Containment » Mutual Aid Response » EMS Operations » Overhaul » Investigation » Lessons Learned

Reproduced from Report 110 of the Major Fires Investigation Project conducted by Varley-Campbell & Associates, Inc. under contract EMW-94-C-4423 to the United States Fire Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency. Investigated By: Scott M. Howell. Edited By: J. Gordon Routley

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