Massachusetts
High winds making house fires difficult to extinguish in Massachusetts
MARSHFIELD – Fire crews in Massachusetts are not just dealing with brush fires in these dry and windy conditions, but two house fires had them scrambling to prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring homes.
Marshfield fire
“The whole sky was covered with black smoke, didn’t know what was happening,” said George Haldoupis, a neighbor who saw the flames quickly spread at a home on Sheridan Drive in Marshfield. “I came out and we saw that house was totally engulfed in flames, it didn’t take long.”
Firefighters from several communities continually poured water on the home and surrounding houses in a neighborhood filled with trees and dried leaves.
“[The wind] was just like a blow torch, it just took off in one direction to the other,” said Marshfield Acting Fire Chief Mike Laselva. “As soon as it caught whatever fire was going, it quickly accelerated it.”
Mara Cronin’s home next door had enough damage to the roof to displace her for now. Fire crews were also able to rescue her three cats hiding under a bed. “Thank god nobody’s hurt, everyone’s OK. We just rescued our three cats so everyone’s fine and we’ll rebuild and we’ll be back,” said Cronin.
Dorchester fire
With only charred remains of the Marshfield home, it was a similar scene on Weyanoke Street in Dorchester as flames quickly engulfed an old Victorian.
“It was quite a bit of smoke in the area. But we couldn’t really figure out where it was. And then we saw the roof literally catch on fire and it looked like a giant candlestick,” said neighbor Dan DeChristoforo.
Six residents were displaced in two units, along with pets. The issue here not just wind but also access. Boston Deputy Fire Chief Scott Malone said rear exits were not only blocked but nailed shut. Dominic Lopez was left screaming from a second floor window to be rescued.
“Within a minute or something like that and then I opened up the window and they were pretty much there,” said Lopez.
“You push security versus safety sometimes,” said Malone. “In this particular case it almost cost someone a life. But thank god we got here in time and that person is saved.”
There were no serious injuries in both fires, but one Boston firefighter had to be treated for neck burns.
Massachusetts
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Massachusetts
Dangerousness hearing held for Taunton man in Fall River after Massachusetts, Rhode Island State Police make trafficking arrest involving Bristol, Plymouth, RI counties
A dangerousness hearing was held Friday for a Bristol County man after a drug trafficking investigation led to his arrest.
According to Massachusetts State Police, during May and June of this year, members of the Commonwealth Interstate Narcotics Reduction Enforcement Team – South initiated an investigation into narcotics trafficking. Intelligence revealed that 33-year-old Jason Hodo of Taunton was distributing trafficking quantities of fentanyl and cocaine in Rhode Island and throughout Plymouth and Bristol Counties in Massachusetts. Investigators completed extensive traditional and covert surveillance, record checks, and intelligence analysis. The investigation led to warrants being sought and granted to search for all controlled substances at all locations related to Hodo.
In June, executing officers followed Hodo in his vehicle after he departed the Rhode Island location and drove to a Taunton gas station. Hodo was detained, searched, and arrested after amounts of fentanyl and cocaine were located. Members then executed the “knock and announce” search warrants without incident at locations in both states.
The searches in Massachusetts led to the seizure of approximately 528 grams of fentanyl, 206 grams of cocaine, and nearly $22,000 from Hodo’s person and vehicle. Hodo was eventually transported to State Police-Middleboro for booking on charges related to Trafficking Class A and Class B Substances.
A simultaneous search of the Rhode Island location by Rhode Island State Police revealed the following: two firearms loaded with high-capacity magazines, approximately 12 grams of fentanyl, nearly $19,000, several high value bars of gold, jewelry, and a diamond/gold chain with receipt for $103,000.
Previously in Fall River Superior Court, Hodo pled not guilty at his arraignment and was held without bail pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Friday.
On Friday, also in Fall River Superior Court, dangerousness was taken under advisement with Hodo still held without bail.
His next scheduled court appearance is a pre-trial conference in February.
Massachusetts
Mass. State Lottery winner: Lucky store sold 6 winning tickets Friday
It was the final day of the fall, but for one store in Arlington, it was their luckiest day of the year.
On Friday, Dec. 20, Peter Pan Superette in Arlington sold six winning Keno tickets, each worth $9,600.
While over the course of the year the store has at times sold two winners in one day, Friday was the only time in 2024 the total grew to six.
Overall, at least 565 worth $600 or more were won or claimed in Massachusetts on Friday, including six in Springfield, 29 in Worcester and 42 in Boston.
The Massachusetts State Lottery releases a full list of winning tickets every day. The list only includes winning tickets worth more than $600.
So far, the largest lottery prize won in Massachusetts this year was worth $1 million a year for life.
The prize was from the lottery’s “Lifetime Millions” scratch ticket game. The winner claimed their prize through a trust on July 10, and opted to receive a one-time payment of $15.4 million.
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