Stefan Geller: Worcester businesses catch fire hours after local firefighter dies in blaze

Nov. 14--A trio of businesses caught fire in Worcester Wednesday morning, just hours after a local firefighter was killed while trying to rescue a family from a house fire.

"I feel bad for these guys, they have to come and continue with their day and when one of their people died, it's awful," said Lisa Miller, the owner of a nearby sewing business that nearly caught fire as well. "I honestly don't know how they do it."

Firefighters responded to Pleasant Street at about 10:15 a.m. to put out a blaze that had spread from Tatnuck Postal Service into Tatnuck Pet Supply and Button Tree Kids next door.

According to Brian Devasto, owner of the pet supply store, when he arrived at work the woman at the postal store showed him that a furnace behind the counter had started the fire and the two evacuated immediately. He said that aside from possible smoke damage, nobody was hurt.

"I've never experienced anything like this," Devasto said. "There wasn't anything for us to do but get out."

Worcester Fire Chief Michael Lavoie said the official cause of the fire is under investigation, but said the old age of the city's housing stock has likely played a contributing role in why they're responding to multiple fires in such a short span of time.

"The housing stock in Worcester is 100 years old, they're all balloon framed and the furnishing materials are all made out of plastic, which burn hotter and faster," Lavoie said. "It's almost a disaster waiting to happen."

Lavoie added that he was proud of the resilience that Worcester firefighters showed by responding to this fire shortly after Lt. Jason Menard was killed in a fire on Stockholm Street.

"It's been a very difficult day, but the men and women of the Worcester fire department go right back to work," he said. "We try to deal with the mental aspect of it, but it's tough."

"We have a job to do, protect lives and property," Lavoie said. "We just want to do our job, so that's what we do."

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