LAWRENCE — Fire Chief Peter Takvorian says firefighters were forced to call for help from Methuen to contain a second arson incident in a vacant building yesterday because one of Lawrence's stations was closed to save money.
When fire broke out at 125 Cross St., a pump truck from Engine 7 on Park Street was the first to arrive. It was the second fire in the triple-decker in two weeks.
Four of the city's five pump trucks were already being used to battle the blaze when fire officials called Methuen.
Engine 6 on Howard Street, which houses the fifth pumper was not open. Each day, one of the six firehouses throughout the city is now closed as a result of budget restrictions.
"We could have used our own resources to cover it, so it did affect us," Takvorian said.
He said another pump truck was needed to protect the houses on either side. Residents of both homes were evacuated as a precaution.
"We're grateful to have had them because with the houses so close together, the best way to fight a fire is to confine it the best way possible."
In fact, the siding on the single-family home at 121 Cross St., melted from the heat of the fire.
"If they (Methuen) had not been there quick enough, the house could have been gone," Takvorian said.
In addition to closing one fire house on a rotating basis, the city is looking at possibly closing Engine 7 on Park Street permanently to save money.
Takvorian said Mayor Michael Sullivan and Finance Director Mark Andrews are looking for ways to keep all fire stations operational.
"They are trying to be as creative as possible. Whatever they can calculate to prevent closure, ultimately it's not my business. My job is how to operate the department on my budget."
The fire department's budget for 2010, is $10.85 million, he said.
The suspected arson on Cross Street and a single-alarm fire at 184-186 Water St. on July 4 are under investigation.
"We're concerned because we've had three suspicious fires in a three-week period," Takvorian said. "When we have that brazen activity, you have to look into all of the incidents."
The fire at 125 Cross St., started at 3:26 a.m. and went to a third alarm four minutes later.
Takvorian said the building's windows on the first floor were boarded up from a fire on June 25, so firefighters controlled the flames from the outside before going inside, which is why a third alarm was called.
"We had to determine the building to be safe before we had to go in so our people did not suffer a building collapse," Takvorian said.
At one point, firefighters were warned of a hole in the kitchen area, which was marked off so no one would step into it.
Deputy Chief Brian Murphy said the fire may have started in the rear of the building.
"There was a heavy amount of smoke and flames on the right-hand side of the rear of the building when we arrived," Murphy said.
The roof collapsed onto the third floor and the charred remains of the rear hallway tumbled all the way to the first floor.
All 22 firefighters on duty were at the Cross Street fire, and officials had to call eight others who were off-duty. Firefighters from Andover, Dracut and Lowell manned the city's fire stations.
Yesterday's fire was ruled arson because there was no gas line or electricity running in the building, Murphy said.
"We have an ongoing investigation on this building because of another attempted arson," he said.
The first fire at Cross Street was caused when two separate electric stoves on the second and third floors were doused with a lacquer thinner and ignited with a wick, Lawrence fire investigator Pat Ruiz said.
A tenant called the Fire Department when she smelled smoke
