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Officials: DPW checks uncovered small fires at vacant Winter Hill School; door alarm error since fixed
Summary
At a June 10 joint meeting, officials said Department of Public Works staff found small, smoldering fires in the closed Winter Hill School after daily checks triggered by a door-alarm communication error; the alarm was repaired May 13 and the fire department confirmed the incidents did not trip the building's heat-based alarm system.
At a June 10 joint meeting of the Somerville City Council special committee on school building facilities and maintenance and the School Committee subcommittee, Commissioner Jill Lathan said Department of Public Works staff discovered small smoldering fires inside the closed Winter Hill School on May 12 while performing daily checks prompted by a door-alarm communication error that began May 9.
The finding led custodians to extinguish pocket fires with handheld extinguishers and to summon the Somerville Fire Department. "If it was not for DPW doing…
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