CHELSEA – A fire that broke through an empty mill in Chelsea, Massachusetts, began last month with “some form of human activity,” state fire officials said Wednesday.
A fire broke out in the abandoned Chelsea mill
The fire started early in the morning of November 18 at the mill on Forbes Street near Chelsea Creek. The massive blaze prompted a response from about two dozen different fire departments. Four nearby schools were also closed and the fire caused delays on the Commuter Rail. No one was injured.
State Fire Department officials said the building has not had electricity for years. Over the years it had been a place where young people, the homeless and others hung out. The property was for sale for $30 million and had been approved for development before the fire.
“This location has been on our radar for a while. We’ve had a number of smaller fires here,” Chelsea Fire Chief John Quatieri told WBZ-TV at the time of the fire. “It has been vacant for a long time. We inspect it every week because we are afraid something like this could happen.”
Reward is offered in Chelsea Fire
Investigators still want to know what happened to cause the fire.
“The exact cause of the fire remains under investigation, but the evidence so far suggests one or more people were present when the fire broke out,” said State Fire Marshal Jon Davine. “We are very fortunate that no one was injured – or worse – by the fire or structural collapse.”
A reward of up to $5,000 is being offered for any information regarding the cause of the fire. Any tips can be sent to the Arson Watch Reward Program at 1-800-682-9229. Tips can be shared anonymously.
