Crews Respond to Working Fire on Beacon St.

Fire reportedly knocked down.

UPDATE, 6:45 p.m.: Melrose Fire Capt. John White said no one was injured in the fire that originated in the basement at 34 Beacon St. White said the cause of the fire is under investigation.  ORIGINAL STORY: Firefighters responded to a working fire at 34 Beacon St. in Melrose this afternoon that has reportedly been knocked down. According to emergency communications, crews responded just after 4 p.m. Saturday to a report of heavy smoke in the basement of a 2.5-story woodframe structure. The fire reportedly extended into home's first story and mutual aid was requested to the scene, according to @NEFirebuff's Mike Moura on Twitter. Another emergency communication indicated the fire was knocked down at approximately 4:16 p.m.

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MHS Students Released Following Reports of Potential Gas Leak

Students at Melrose High School were released at 10 a.m. Monday following reports of a potential gas leak.

Students at Melrose High School have been released for the remainder of the school day Monday, according to a school press statement, following reports of a potential gas leak. "Due to the reports of a gas odor at the high school building today students were relocated to the middle school for precautionary reasons," reads the statement. "After a thorough investigation National Grid and the Melrose Fire Department have determined that it was safe for all students and staff to return to the building. "There is however, some repair work that needs to be done which will require the HVAC system to be shut down. School administrators have decided to dismiss students at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, November 5th since the building will be without heat, …

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Dolan Swears In Two New Firefighters

Melrose Fire Department's newest firefighters are Patrick Rose and Jeremy Marrache. Both were sworn in on Tuesday at City Hall.

Mayor Rob Dolan swore in the two newest members of the Melrose Fire Department in a brief ceremony in City Hall on Tuesday, Sept. 18, according to a city press statement.  The city's newest firefighters are Patrick Rose and Jeremy Marrache. "Both these young men come to the department with exceptional experience and credentials," said Dolan in the statement. "Their skills will mesh well with our department as we continue to refine the dual roles of fire operations and ambulance. I am pleased to welcome them aboard."  "These two skilled paramedics will bring additional depth to our department, " said Fire Chief Chris Leary in the statement. "I think they will make us a stronger and better Fire Department to better serve the citizens of …

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Report: Police ID Driver Who Allegedly Ran Over Motorcyclist Repeatedly

WCVB reports that the driver allegedly involved in Sunday morning's hit-and-run accident in Franklin Square is a 76-year-old Stoneham man now in custody.

WCVB reports that the driver who allegedly ran over a motorcyclist in Franklin Square in Melrose on Sunday morning is a 76-year-old Stoneham resident now in custody. Melrose Police said in a statement earlier Sunday afternoon that the driver, who WCVB identified as Eugene Ledonne, had stopped behind the motorcyclist at a red light on Main Street northbound at Franklin and Green streets, and when the light turned green, Ledonne hit the motorcyclist from behind and knocked him off the bike. "The sedan then travelled forward over the operator," the police statement said. "The operator of the sedan then placed his vehicle in reverse, and travelled back and forth over the operator several times. This is apparent based on witness accounts at the…

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Bomb Threat Locks Down Melrose-Wakefield Hospital

The anonymous call early Saturday afternoon said that an explosive device was located within a secure area of the hospital.

(Editor's Note: This article was updated at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1.) An anonymous bomb threat led to a lockdown of Melrose-Wakefield Hospital on Saturday afternoon and the investigation remains ongoing. According to a Melrose Police press release, at 1:22 p.m. hospital staff reported to police that they had received an anonymous call informing them of an explosive device located within a secure area of the hospital. Both Melrose Police and Fire Departments responded and the hospital was advised to follow their protocol regarding evacuation of the building, according to the press release. "Additional security measures were set in place, including a limited access, and lockdown of certain areas of the hospital," the press release …

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Basement Fire Strikes Auburn Street Home

Melrose firefighters knocked down a heavy fire in a one-and-a-half story home past 10:30 p.m. on Thursday night.

Basement Fire Strikes Auburn Street Home [UPDATE]

Melrose firefighters knocked down a heavy fire in a one-and-a-half story home past 10:30 p.m. on Thursday night.

Editor's note: This article was updated on Thursday at 11:35 p.m. Melrose firefighters knocked down a heavy fire in the basement of an Auburn Street home on Thursday night. Firefighters responded around 10:30 p.m. to the report of a fire and found heavy smoke, but no flames visible from the street at 40 Auburn St., a 20-by-30 foot one-and-half story woodframe home that had one occupant. A second alarm was called at 10:45 p.m. as fire companies ran two hose lines to the house. A heavy fire was found in the basement and knocked down by 10:55 p.m., with firefighters continuing to chase hot spots. National Grid was called to the scene to shut down the power around the same time firefighters reported the fire knocked down. A fire watch detail …

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Assistant Fire Chief Position on Hold

The aldermen tabled a proposal to remove the position from civil service as the firefighters request more time to hash out details with Chief Christopher Leary and City Hall.

Plans to reinstitute the long-dormant assistant chief position in the Melrose Fire Department are on hold after the Melrose Board of Aldermen voted Monday night to table Chief Christopher Leary and City Hall's request to remove it from civil service. At the aldermen's Appropriation Committee meeting on June 28, the committee unanimously voted to send the proposal to the full board Monday night without a recommendation, with an eye on a scheduled July 6 meeting between the Melrose Firefighters 1617 union and city administrators. While the decision whether or not to remove the assistant chief position from civil service is solely up to the aldermen, many of the details surrounding how the position would be filled need to be bargained with …

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