The Oak Bluffs Fire Department responded to a reported explosion at an Oak Bluffs scrapyard Wednesday evening, where officials say numerous vehicles, including buses and trailers, had caught fire.
At 9:08 pm, firefighters were dispatched to the JWL property, abutting Pennsylvania Avenue and County Road in Oak Bluffs. Mutual aid came from Tisbury and Edgartown fire departments, and both assisted in extinguishing a blaze that had burned through two buses, multiple junked vehicles, and trailers, officials say.
The scene was cleared roughly three hours later.
There were no injuries associated with the fire. The cause is still undetermined, and is currently under investigation.
As the Islands’ fire departments are mainly volunteers, and due to the holiday season, Wirtz said the department, already struggling with staffing, quickly anticipated calling in additional resources. “We knew we were going to have an extended operation, and we were going to need manpower,” he said.
“The multi-departmental training that we do throughout the Island has been invaluable in the efficiency of our mutual aid companies that have come in,” he added. “They fit seamlessly into our operation to get the job done. It’s a fantastic partnership.”
