Work Still To Be Done Following DPW Garage Fire

Selectmen voted this week on an emergency measure allowing the town to keep spending money between now and the fall town meeting on repairs from the August fire at the DPW garage. 

At the scene on August 20, Lynnfield Fire Chief Joseph Lingel indicated that the two-alarm fire appeared to have started with a backhoe that had been worked on soon before. Two front end loaders and a dump truck were also reported damaged that day at the fire scene. 

Town Administrator Bill Gustus reported to selectmen that insurance was expected to cover most of the building restoration. However, the town had some immediate expenses, such as cleaning the building after the fire, and hiring mechanical engineering help to determine its structural integrity. Expenditures could be up to $40,000 between now and the Oct. 21 town meeting, when an additional appropriation will be sought, he added. 

Regarding the handful of town vehicles damaged in the fire, Gustus noted that there is still some question over whether some of the older machines can be repaired at book value. In total, he added it could cost as much as $190,000 to replace the lost equipment.