Local News

Massive fire at Roxbury trash transfer station causes an estimated $4 million in damages

Approximately 150 firefighters responded to an eight-alarm fire in Roxbury that quickly escalated Sunday morning.

Firefighters battles the flames at ReSource Waste Services on Gerard Street in Roxbury.
Firefighters battles the flames at ReSource Waste Services on Gerard Street in Roxbury. Pat Greenhouse/The Boston Globe

By Darin Zullo

2 minutes to read

The Boston Fire Department battled intense flames Sunday morning after a huge fire broke out at a trash transfer station in Roxbury.

The department announced the fire at approximately 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning as heavy smoke billowed from a trash transfer station near 65 Gerard St. in Roxbury, less than two miles away from the start of the South Boston St. Patrick’s Day Parade route.

Fire officials quickly increased their response as the smoke turned thick and black. At about 9 a.m., firefighters were ordered to leave the building, fighting the fire from the outside only, fire officials said on X.

Using a network of ladder pipes and large diameter hose lines, firefighters continued to battle the flames amid limited visibility caused by windy conditions.

By 10:30 a.m., approximately 150 firefighters were helping to put out the blaze, according to the Boston Fire Department.

Advertisement:

Fire officials and the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) both urged neighbors to avoid the area and keep their doors and windows closed to keep smoke out. The BPHC, which was monitoring the air quality, asked building owners to turn off their HVAC systems until the smoke dissipated.

Firefighters continued to fight the fire into the afternoon, using foam to help extinguish the flames, fire officials said on X.

By approximately 4:30 p.m., firefighters were able to remove debris to get closer to the source of the flames. Emergency responders arrived to transport three firefighters to nearby hospitals as the remaining crews continued to battle the fire, according to an X post. No further injuries had been reported as of Sunday evening.

Just after 5 p.m., Boston Fire Commissioner Paul Burke estimated the damages from the fire to be about $4 million, according to a post on X from the department. Detail companies will remain throughout the evening, Burke said.

Advertisement:

The cause of the fire is currently under investigation, but Burke told WCVB that a variety of materials from Boston’s construction recycling could be linked to the cause.

“We don’t know what’s in that material. There could be lithium batteries in it,” Burke told WCVB. “These piles are so deep and dense, they could burn for days.”

Sign up for the Today newsletter

Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.

SIGN UP

To comment, please create a screen name in your profile

Conversation

This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com