Danvers firefighters using 'live burns' to train for the real thing

DANVERS, Mass. — Major fires in our area recently have required extra firefighters on scene. Now, Boston 25 News is seeing how they train for these fires.

Danvers firefighters are used to preparing for the real thing, but this time, they trained with a live fire in a real house.

"We're going to conduct several live fire evolutions here. The closest they can get to the real thing," said a captain with the Danvers Fire Dept.

"Live burns" are rare these days because of the lack of homes available to simply burn down.

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"Everybody suit up, get ready. We're gonna light the fire," said the captain.

They took Boston 25 News inside the house, showing us the second floor where they would start the fire.

Danvers town manager Steve Bartha also suited up to go in with firefighters.

As they lit the fire in a steel barrel, it didn't take long to see the smoke and flames.

Outside the home, firefighters raced to the scene as the fire progressed. With flames shooting from the windows, crews went in, searched the bottom floor, then went upstairs.

The fire almost became too much of the real thing, prompting this alert: "This is not a drill. All companies working Popes Lane, evacuate the building."

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"It's easy to sit in an office and imagine what it's like to answer a call and now knowing what kind of emergency you're showing up to, but the chance to see their work through their eyes was appealing," said Bartha.

Firefighters are trying to use that house each Friday of the month. They say it's especially valuable because they don't see as many actual house fires as they did years ago.

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