• Contact Us
  • Events calendar
Entering Swellesley
Pinnacle, Douglas Elliman, Wellesley

The Swellesley Report

More than you really want to know about Wellesley, Mass.

  • Advertise
  • Contribute
  • Subscribe
  • Eat
  • Wellesley Square
  • School news
  • Private schools, sponsored by Riverbend
  • Public Schools, sponsored by Sexton
  • Camp
  • Kids—swim tryouts Oct. 1
  • Top 10 things to do
  • Business news
  • Embracing diversity
  • Letters to the editor
  • Guidelines for letters to the editor
  • Fire & police scanner
  • Worship
  • Live gov’t meetings
  • Events
  • About us
  • Wellesley snow plowing services
 
Needham Bank, Wellesley
Write Ahead, Wellesley

‘Wellesley firefighters may have saved our home…’

February 23, 2020 by Bob Brown 6 Comments

wellesley fire department.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.

In the end, the firefighters killed the breaker to the furnace and shut off the gas. While their house is now “COLD,” Gormley says, replacement gear is on order for Monday.
donate box love local
Subscribe to get Swellesley’s daily email newsletter

Filed Under: Fire

Comments

  1. Marianne Laffitte says

    February 23, 2020 at 4:40 pm

    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

    Reply
  2. The Montanari Family says

    February 23, 2020 at 6:16 pm

    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 ~

    Reply
    • Bob Brown says

      February 23, 2020 at 9:55 pm

      sounds like there needs to be a 514 reunion one of these days…

      Reply
      • Marianne says

        November 3, 2021 at 8:45 am

        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.

        Reply
  3. Mary Bowers says

    February 23, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    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!

    Reply
  4. Thomas White says

    February 24, 2020 at 8:30 am

    They are a very professional organization dedicated to the safety and wellbeing of all of Wellesleys residents. Cheers Wellesley firefighters

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisements:

Linden Square, Wellesley
Wonderful Wellesley

Tip us off…

Please send tips, photos, ideas to theswellesleyreport@gmail.com

Advertisements

Wellesley Square
Wellesley, Jesamondo
Fay School, Southborough
Sexton test prep, Wellesley
Feldman Law
Wellesley Theatre Project
Wellesley Scouts
Volvo
Prepped and Polished Boston Tutoring and Test Prep
Tutoring, Ann-Marie MacDonnell
Cheesy Street Grill
Admit Fit, Wellesley
Mature Caregivers
charles river chamber
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Subscribe to our email newsletter

Fill out simple subscription form.

Our newsletter is free, though we appreciate any financial support for our independent journalism venture.

Follow Swellesley on Google News Showcase

The Swellesley Report has been selected to be highlighted on Google News Showcase. Please follow us there.

Most Read Posts

  • Wellesley making moves to comply with MBTA Communities multifamily zoning rules
  • Wellesley students named National Merit Scholarship semi-finalists
  • Wellesley track & field lights, bathroom updates shared
  • Wellesley reflects on 9/11
  • Wellesley government meetings during the week of Sept. 11, 2023

Click on Entering Natick sign to read our Natick Report

Entering Natick road sign

Upcoming Events

Sep 15
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Climate protest in front of Town Hall

Sep 15
8:00 pm - 11:00 pm

Live music at Lockheart Restaurant

Sep 17
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Online lecture: Chado: The Way of Tea—spreading peace through the Japanese tea ceremony

Sep 17
4:30 pm - 5:30 pm

Building a Better Wellesley meeting with guest Tom Taylor, Planning Board chair

Sep 20
6:30 pm - 8:30 pm

“Navigating Artistic Perils” with Leslie Graff

View Calendar

Recent Comments

  • Kim Mahoney on At chaotic meeting, Wellesley Planning Board votes to put Sisters of Charity article on Special Town Meeting warrant
  • Jim Roberti on At chaotic meeting, Wellesley Planning Board votes to put Sisters of Charity article on Special Town Meeting warrant
  • Bruce on A rare peek inside Hunnewell Estate in Wellesley
  • Julia on Where is Swellesley? We asked 3 AI tools
  • Steven Sims on But wait, what about pickleball?

Links we like

  • Danny's Place
  • Great Runs
  • Jack Sanford: Wellesley's Major League Baseball Star
  • Tech-Tamer
  • The Wellesley Wine Press
  • Universal Hub
  • Wellesley Sports Discussion Facebook Group
Call and Haul, Wellesley
Refined Renovations, Wellesley
Deland, Gibson, Wellesley
Rick Cram, leader

© 2023 The Swellesley Report
Site by Tech-Tamer · Login