HAVERHILL, Mass. — A raging fire erupted overnight at an abandoned mill in Haverhill, prompting a large emergency response.
According to Haverhill Fire Chief Christopher Cesati, a call came in around 3:30 a.m. from a passerby who spotted the flames at the Stevens Street mill.
“I smelled the smoke and I heard the sirens,” said Krissy Fraczek, who lives nearby. “I turned the corner and saw the big plume of smoke and I’m like, oh my God.”
The building itself carries more than a century of history—some sections date back to the late 1800s. It’s also no stranger to disaster because in 2015, the mill caught fire in a massive blaze that led to the arrest of four teenagers.
“We went to three alarms on this,” said Haverhill Fire Chief Cesati. ”We have plenty of mutual aid in.”
Chief Cesati says firefighters never went inside, only spraying water from the outside, knowing it was an abandoned mill ever since it caught fire in 2015.
After that incident, the department created detailed plans in case the mill ever burned again, and those preparations are now being put to the test.
Cesati says crews will likely remain on-site for days to fully extinguish the fire, given how deep it is inside the building.
The mill has been vacant and boarded up since the previous fire, and officials say no one was inside when this latest blaze broke out.
“But when there’s a will, there’s a way,” said Fraczek. ”People will get in, unfortunately. A lot of the homeless go in there trying to find heat and trying to find shelter.”
Fraczek witnessed the 2015 fire, and after this morning’s fire, she has safety concerns—hoping the city does something about the old mill.
“To see an eyesore like that—tear it down, put something back up, and it would be a lot better for the neighborhood," said Fraczek.
Haverhill Public Schools have been notified and are aware that bus routes might be changed due to road closures.
There are no injuries to report, and the cause remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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