CHELSEA – A massive fire in Chelsea, Massachusetts forced the city to close all four elementary schools there Monday.
Chelsea Fire
Just after midnight, flames broke out in an old mill on Forbes Street. Firefighters closed the entire Chelsea Creek area for several hours as they brought the fire under control.
There have been no reports of injuries and nothing is yet known about how the fire started.
Johnny Reyes
The property was for sale for $30 million and had been approved for development before the fire.
Chelsea schools closed
The complex is located near Sokolowski, Hooks, Kelly and Berkowitz elementary schools. Chief Inspector Dr. Almi Abeyta decided on Monday morning to close them for that day as a precaution.
“The fire has resulted in limited access to the school campus, and our primary concern is the safety of our students, staff and families,” she said in a statement.
“We understand that this disruption may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely apologize for any issues this may cause. The situation is evolving and we are closely monitoring updates from local authorities. We will keep you informed and provide details on when we expect schools to reopen.”
All other schools in Chelsea opened as planned on Monday.
Delays on the MBTA commuter line
The fire is also causing delays on the MBTA’s Newburyport-Rockport commuter rail line.
“Passengers will be met by a shuttle bus in both directions between Chelsea and Lynn, where they will board a train for continued service,” the MBTA said on social media.
Penny Kmitt
