Early Saturday morning turned out to be more eventful than Wellesley’s Phil Gormley and Erica Bisguier would have liked, but at least it didn’t turn out disastrous.
Gormley writes:
In the early morning of Saturday, Feb. 22, my wife and I awoke to the smell of smoke. It was not intense enough to set off the smoke detectors but the smell pervaded the house. After we failed to find the source we phoned the Wellesley Fire Department. Though it was clearly not an emergency, three trucks with four firefighters arrived within minutes.
After a 30-minute search the firefighters identified the source as a shorted wire in the control unit of our furnace. Indeed, the furnace was overheating and on the verge of igniting surrounding paper and bookshelves. With their quick response and diligence in their search Firefighters Peter Indresano and Ben Hampton, Lieutenant Ken DeMerchant, and Deputy Chief Chuck DiGiandominico prevented a serious fire and possibly the loss of our home.
We extend our thanks to them and to the numerous Wellesley town workers that keep residents safe and the town operating.
Phil Gormley & Erica Bisguier
514 Washington Street
I followed up with Gormley to ask if there was any chance he might have just slept through all this. “I wasn’t even sure I was smelling anything. Had to wake my wife to verify and could easily have slept through it,” he wrote.
As prior owners of 514 Washington Street, we are so thankful that Phil and Erica woke in time to avert disaster. It is a beautiful home and near and dear to my heart. Thank you Wellesley Fire for saving the home.
Marianne and David Laffitte
514 was our life long family home~ Beautiful inside and out~ Many wonderful memories there, and our family is grateful the outcome was what it was~ Thank you Wellesley Fire Department ~
sounds like there needs to be a 514 reunion one of these days…
I just saw your comment for the first time. It is fun that so many owners (past and present) still live in town. It is a magnificent house and I am proud to have been part of the restoration of the property, so that it can continue to grace the corner.
Such a nice happy ending story to what could’ve been worse. We are so lucky for our wonderful caring WFD whose response time is incredible no matter where and at what time we ask for their help!
They are a very professional organization dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of all of Wellesleys residents. Cheers Wellesley firefighters