Week in Review: Shots Fired, Fire Hits Apartment
In case you missed it, here are this week's top headlines from the South End. South End Patch News
First-Alarm Fire Hits South End Building
Sixth-floor apartment fire had no injuries but caused $ 50,000 in estimated damage. South End Patch News
Roof Deck Fire at Mass. Ave. Causes $200,000 in Damage
The Boston Fire Department responded to a visible two-alarm deck fire on a roof deck on Tuesday evening at 492 Mass. Ave. Two alarms were ordered by the District 4 Chief. No injuries were re South End Patch News
Boston Fire Chief Resigns Amid Bombings Controversy
After two years on the job, Boston’s top fire official has resigned in the wake of his supposed controversial handling of response to the Boston Marathon Bombings. The Boston Globe reports Steve E. Abraira, chief of the Boston Fire Department, has resigned following complaints from 13 deputy chiefs who have accused him of failing to take control of the scene of the bombings April 15. In an April letter to Mayor Thomas Menino, the deputy chiefs claim Abraira left the scene in the “hand of law enforcement,” according to the story. Abraira has argued that the scene appeared under control when he arrived. Abraira was the first Boston Fire chief in history hired from outside its union, the Globe reports. South End Patch
Week in Review: Fire at Mass Ave Apartment, South End Chefs
The following are the top articles on South End Patch from May 13 to May 17, 2013: South Enders Celebrate Marriage Equality Anniversary at Public Garden Friday marks the 9th anniversary of the law that allowed gay and lesbian couples to marry in Massachusetts. Three Displaced by Morning Fire on Mass Ave A small fire caused an estimated $ 100,000 of damage throughout a three-apartment building on Mass. Ave, according to the Boston Fire Department. 11 South End Chefs to Cook at Fenway’s ‘Boston Bites Back’ See which South End chefs are volunteering to raise $ 1 million for The One Fund. Special Homecoming for Marathon Bombing Survivor Roseann Sdoia was released from Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital on Tuesday after undergoing treatment for injuries sustained during the April 15 explosions, including the loss of her right leg. Two Candidates in Race for South End’s City Council District See who is running for city council in the South End’s District 2 race. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch
Chow v. Merrimack Mutual Fire Insurance Company (Lawyers Weekly No. 11-062-13)
NOTICE: All slip opinions and orders are subject to formal revision and are superseded by the advance sheets and bound volumes of the Official Reports. If you find a typographical error or other formal error, please notify the Reporter of Decisions, Supreme Judicial Court, John Adams Courthouse, 1 Pemberton Square, Suite 2500, Boston, MA 02108-1750; (617) 557-1030; SJCReporter@sjc.state.ma.us 12‑P‑1010 Appeals Court ISAAC CHOW vs. MERRIMACK MUTUAL FIRE INSURANCE COMPANY. No. 12‑P‑1010. Hampshire. January 8, 2013. ‑ May 15, 2013. Present: Cohen, Green, & Vuono, JJ. Insurance, Homeowner’s insurance. Contract, Insurance, Performance and breach. Practice, Civil, Instructions to jury. Negligence, Standard of care. Words, “Unoccupied.” Civil action commenced in the Superior Court Department on November 17, 2008. After transfer, the case was tried before Bertha D. Josephson, J. Mark A. Tanner for the plaintiff. John E. Garber for the defendant. GREEN, J. Sometime during late December, 2006, or early January, 2007, a house owned by the plaintiff and insured under a homeowner’s policy issued by the defendant incurred substantial damage when pipes froze, and then burst, releasing large amounts of water into the structure. The defendant denied coverage for the loss, based upon a policy exclusion for damage caused by frozen pipes if (i) the house was unoccupied at the time of the loss, and (ii) the insured failed to use reasonable care to maintain heat in the building. The plaintiff filed this action against the defendant for breach of contract and declaratory relief. After a trial, a jury returned a verdict in the defendant’s favor, and this appeal followed. At issue is whether the trial judge correctly instructed the jury that the negligence of a person entrusted by the plaintiff to maintain heat in the building should be imputed to the plaintiff, so as to establish a failure by the plaintiff, himself, to use reasonable care. We conclude that the instruction was in error, and reverse the judgment. Background. Beginning in 1987 and continuing until the summer of 2006, the plaintiff owned and operated a restaurant in Northampton known as the Panda Garden. When the restaurant opened, the plaintiff acquired a four-bedroom house located at 103 Rocky Hill Road in Hadley (the “property”), to serve as living quarters for restaurant employees. The plaintiff resides in New York, but lived at the property during the period when the restaurant was first getting established. Thereafter, for so long as the restaurant was operating, the restaurant’s general manager, Richard Lau, lived at the property and generally managed it, paying utility bills and addressing any maintenance needs. During the fall of 2006, Lau moved to a home he […]
Three Displaced by Morning Fire on Mass Ave
Three South End residents are displaced after a small fire broke out in a 2nd floor apartment on Massachusetts Ave. in the South End on Wednesday morning, according to the Boston Fire Department. The fire started around 9:40 a.m. inside a unit at 528 Massachusetts Ave. Spokesperson Stephen McDonald said no one was home at the time, and no one was injured. Damage to the apartment was estimated at $ 100,000 due to the fire, smoke, and extensive water damage on the 2nd floor where the fire started, down to the first floor and basement. The American Red Cross said this afternoon they assisted three people from two units that were displaced by the fire. “Volunteers provided them emergency temporary shelter, a hotel stay, and funds for food and clothing,” said spokesperson Ashley Studley in a statement. The cause of the fire is still under investigation, said McDonald. SOUTH END PATCH: Facebook | Twitter | E-mail Updates South End Patch