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Deck fire damages South Boston apartments after somebody uses a planter as an ashtray

By adamg on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 6:23am
Firefighters at South Boston fire

W. 6 St. Photo by Mike Connolly

UPDATE: BFD reports: "Cause of roof deck fire 165 W 6th St.was careless disposal of smoking material.Specifically,using a planter as an ashtray."

The Boston Fire Department reports a fire called in around 1:25 a.m. at 165 W. 6 St. displaced at least 20 residents and caused an estimated $250,000 in damage.

No residents were injured in the two-alarm fire, which started on a rooftop deck.

Neighborhoods: 
South Boston
Topics: 
Fire


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Comments

By anon on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 8:10am.

Grill. I'd put 20 bucks on it.

By lbb on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 9:16am.

You don't think that deck chose to spontaneously combust?

(yeah, people are really stupid...there's a reason this is against the fire codes)

By zetag on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 9:22am.

1:25 AM, I'm going with improper disposal of smoking materials.

By KellyJMF on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 11:08am.

I can definitely see thinking you're more likely smoking than grilling at that hour but fire can take a while to build until it's noticed, particularly on a roof.

I think charcoal grill left to "burn itself out" when it was mostly but not completely extinguished is a good bet but not a safe one.

But heck, we've seen fires from electrical problems that charred wood over years and finally erupted.

By KellyJMF on Thu, 05/28/2015 - 3:34pm.

Can I pay you in virtual French Toast?

By anon on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 12:30pm.

Looks like you are right:

https://twitter.com/BostonFire/status/603577603715428352

Cause of roof deck fire 165 W 6th St.was careless disposal of smoking material.Specifically,using a planter as an ashtray.

By anon on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 11:41am.

But I would bet my last dollar some Yuppie was on the roof smoking and flicked the butt onto the deck or tried to snuff it out in a mulch filled planter. I send them doing this all the time.

By zetag on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 3:06pm.

But I'm just going to throw some random crap against the wall, with absolutely no evidence or way to back it up. This way everyone will know I'm a moron instead of just thinking it.

By relaxyapsycho on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 3:11pm.

He nailed it.

By zetag on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 3:18pm.

that it was some drunk, degenerate townie, who was too intoxicated on a Tuesday night to properly dispose of their ciggys?

By relaxyapsycho on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 3:26pm.

Even drunk degenerate townies know better than to spend 300K on an apartment, ahem, condo, a block from the projects.

By anon on Fri, 05/29/2015 - 6:06am.

Heard that argument once before in JP say 1997 - now those $300k one-floor-of-a-3-family are now going for $500k.

By Bob on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 12:20pm.

Roof top decks , an urban dwellers back yard.
City of Boston should pass a law, who ever has a roof deck should require to have a heavy duty fire extinguisher or outdoor fire sprinklers, if owner of building has the luxury to have a deck on the roof, he or she should have have the luxury to afford to have a $10,000 outdoor fire sprinkler.

By adamg on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 2:20pm.

Although the real cause was even stupider: Somebody used a planter as an ashtray.

By Ann Weatherbee on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 10:13am.

Some folks trying to be trendy forgot to dowse the damn thing.

By lbb on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 11:19am.

Is it now considered "trendy" to use a style of grill that was popular in the 70s?

By SwirlyGrrl on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 8:27pm.

Her calendar broke.

By Patricia on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 12:05pm.

Reminds me of the time I was at Amrheins and parked behind. I noticed a charcoal grill on the second landing of a three story wooden back staircase.
I can only imagine how nervous neighbors must get when the owner lights that thing up. This is the downside of a multi dwelling building. You can't pick you neighbors.

By Sock_Puppet on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 3:28pm.

But you can call the BFD.

And before someone starts crying:

"Section 33.08
This ordinance shall be enforced by the Boston Fire Department."

By lbb on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 10:16pm.

...BFD loves those calls, or at least, they respond with enthusiasm. Friend of mine witnessed the Brighton station respond more than once to a call of a grill on a porch. According to her, they'd roll up and thoroughly douse it with the hoses.

By Fred Farkle on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 7:41pm.

We can expect to see more incidents like this. I live across the deck from that unit, and after it was sold last year we never knew who was up there. Anyone stupid enough to throw a butt into a planter of dry potting soil deserves to be sued for: $250,000 damages (which is pretty low), another $125,000 from the condo unit next door whose newly installed garage ceiling was totally destroyed, personal damage from the other owners who lost everything, and I hope criminal charges are filed against that unit owner. If there was a way to sue someone for being a complete idiot, I'd be up front. I had to tend to the Fire Dept, utility people and then lock up after they left... I'm ready to support a ban on roof decks in Southie, plus make mandatory inspections for existing decks with a fee to cover the inspection. All they do is cause excessive noise all night for the enjoyment of a few people, and inconvenience dozens of neighbors around them.

By adamg on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 8:04pm.

And never have. They are, obviously, perfection incarnate.

By anon on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 8:53pm.

are from Charlestown. And next time a "townie" burns down their condo by throwing a cigarette butt into a dried out planter, please let us know. I can tell you 6+ fires started by Yuppies and their stupid actions.

By lbb on Wed, 05/27/2015 - 10:18pm.

...if you think that the term "townies" refers exclusively people from Charlestown. Or perhaps you've just never traveled beyond your little cabbage patch.

By Lmo on Thu, 05/28/2015 - 1:53am.

If you are talking to someone from Boston and refer to someone as a "townie", he/ she will think you are talking about a person from Charlestown, just the way it is.

By lbb on Thu, 05/28/2015 - 9:41am.

...never been out of your little cabbage patch. Like, to Cambridge maybe.

By Lmo on Thu, 05/28/2015 - 10:29pm.

In Boston there is a neighborhood that ends in "town", makes sense that other Bostonians call them Townies. I don't think that warrants you calling someone a complete idiot.
Locals from Cambridge can absolutely be townies. Matt and Ben? Sure they're townies from Cambridge. But there are no Townies from Southie, Dot, Westie etc. Although, you may find Townies living in these places, make sense?

By anon on Fri, 05/29/2015 - 6:15am.

You are correct sir
But as s/he did not capitalize the T in townie s/he must have meant it as the generic and not specific definition. What would the correct term for native sons/daughters of south boston be? Locals? Natives? That's what i would say but i am from dot so i defer to those in the know.