Belmont Police Seek Witnesses to Fatal Pedestrian Crash 

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Photo: Investigators at the scene of the accident Aug. 28.

The Belmont Police Department is asking the public for information about a fatal pedestrian crash at the intersection of Sycamore and Lexington streets in Belmont, according to a press release.

Officers responded to the intersection at approximately 8:25 a.m. on Tuesday Aug. 28. A white 2015 Ford van had struck and killed 39-year-old Sachi Thanawala of Sycamore Street.

We are asking for any persons who witnessed the crash to please come forward. Anyone with information should contact Sgt. Ben Mailhot of the Belmont Police Department at 617-993-2501 or 617-993-2538.

This incident is currently under investigation by the Belmont Police Department, with the assistance of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office and the Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction Unit.

Police Chief Gets A Raise, And His Retirement Date

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Photo: Belmont Police Chief Richard McLaughlin on a tour of the current police headquarters.

Belmont’s long-standing Police Chief Richard McLaughlin received a pay raise and a contract extension which will allow him to end his career in his hometown. 

McLaughlin received a glowing review by Town Administrator Patrice Garvin who approved the pay raise which increases the chief’s total annual compensation package – made up of salary, holiday pay and a first responder stipend – to $185,567 retroactive to July 1, 2018. 

“In general, the Chief received the highest marks … and excedes expectations” in running the town’s police department, Garvin told the Board of Selectmen last week, who approved the pay increase unanimously. 

In addition to his review, McLaughlin request the selectmen extend his contract through Dec. 31, 2019 – it was scheduled to end at the end of June of next year – was also accepted, with the stipulation that his pay will remain flat through 2019. 

McLaughlin told the Belmontonian after the meeting the extension was sought so he could retire in his current position. 

“Yes, my last day will be the end of 2019,” said McLaughlin. 

A Belmont resident, McLaughlin began his career with the Arlington Police in 1980 and spent 27 years with the department reaching the rank of captain. He was appointed Belmont’s top cop in February 2007. This spring, McLaughlin helped in facilitating final design plans for a major renovation of the department’s 85-year-old headquarters at the corner of Concord Avenue and Pleasant Street, one of his long-term priorities as chief. 

Breaking: Woman ‘Seriously Injured’ Hit In Crosswalk At Sycamore and Lexington

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Photo: Police at the scene of a pedestrian/vehicle accident in Belmont, Tuesday, Aug. 28.

An unidentified middle-aged woman was critically injured after being struck by a light commercial van while in the crosswalk at the intersection of Sycamore and Lexington streets Tuesday morning, Aug. 28.

The accident took place at approximately 8:30 a.m. when a late-model white Ford Transit operated by a man struck the woman mid-way into the crossing located in the Waverley neighborhood. Belmont Fire and Police responded quickly to the scene.

Police closed off Sycamore and Lexington for several hours after the accident. A pair of brown shoes, a metallic water bottle, a scarf along with what looked like food was still at the scene by late morning.  

It is not known if the woman is a Belmont resident. 

Some eyewitnesses reported that a small child was with the woman but that could not be confirmed by authorities. 

“All we know now is that she is in critical condition,” said Belmont Police Sgt. Ben Mailhot, adding she was taken to a “local” hospital. 

Mailhot added that there was no sign of driver impairment. He could not say why the accident occurred on a sunny, clear day during the end of the morning commute. 

“There is an on-scene investigation with [Belmont] and State Police at this time. 

Nearby residents contend the street is not as safe as it could be, even after the intersection was raised to slow vehicles along Lexington. 

Smokey Blaze Closes Popular Shangri-la Restaurant On Belmont Street

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Photo: The closed restaurant Shangri-la on Belmont Street 

A favorite Taiwanese restaurant on the Belmont/Watertown/Cambridge lines is closed after a smokey fire emanating from the kitchen brought the entire Belmont Fire Department to the scene on Saturday afternoon, July 21.

Heavy, black smoke billowed from the front and back doors of Shangri-la at 149 Belmont St. as passersby called in the fire to Belmont dispatch “at 3;34 p.m.,” and then confirmed by an off-duty police officer, according to Belmont Fire Chief David L. Frizzell who was at the scene. The blaze reached the level of a “working fire.” 

The fire, located in the cook line, started when an employee was using a wok with oil. Belmont Street inbound toward Cushing Square was closed as apparatus from Belmont and Watertown arrived with Belmont and Watertown police. Mutual aid came from Cambridge and Arlington which manned Belmont’s stations.

After a few minutes, “the fire was contained to the [kitchen] and no [firefighter] was injured,” said Frizzell.

The blaze appeared to remain in the kitchen and did not jump to the walls or the building’s superstructure, said Frizzell. The fire remains under investigation and investigators could later request that “things be pulled apart” to search for hot spots. 

“But they have a lot of cleaning up to do,” said the chief. 

Belmont Police’s Prescription Drug Drop Off at DPW Yard Sat. April 28

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Photos: Prescription drugs.

The Belmont Police Department in conjunction with the Belmont Auxiliary Police and the DEA will be hosting a Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative to prevent the abuse and theft of old, unused and expired prescription drugs at the DPW Yard, 37 C St., on Saturday April 28 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Old or unused prescription drugs (no liquids) may be dropped off for free with no questions asked. You won’t even have to get out of your car.

Prescription drugs are highly susceptible to misuse by family and friends. In addition they can be improperly disposed of and end up in our environment, posing a potential health hazard. Please take some time to check your medicine cabinet and visit the DPW next weekend.

For more information on the Rx Drug Take Back Initiative or a list of additional collection sites visit www.dea.gov . Residents can also contact Belmont Police Lt. Kristin Daley at kdaley@belmontpd.org. The police also has a permanent Rx drug collection kiosk located in the lobby of the police station that is accessible 24/7.

Big Street Closures/Delays Monday, April 2 in Belmont

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Photo: Upper Concord Avenue between Winter and Marsh streets.

The Belmont Police Department has issued a pair of street advisories that will impact traffic in and through Belmont on Monday, April 2.

On Monday and Tuesday, FE French Construction will close the outbound (heading towards Lexington) upper Concord Avenue between Winter and Marsh streets starting at 7 a.m. The detour will impact westbound traffic on Concord.

Also on Monday, Grove Street road construction resumes.

Expect delays and detours on these important Belmont thoroughfares.

Belmont In Blizzard’s Sights: Numbers, Websites To Have On Hand For Nor’easter 3

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Photo: Here it comes!

With the third nor’easter in the past two weeks barreling towards Belmont with forecasts of up to a foot-and-a-half of drifting snow and blizzard conditions, residents who were anticipating a day of Netflix and cooking could find their homes in the dark due to down power lines like so much of the Northern suburbs after last week’s storm.

Below are a few sites and phone numbers to keep close-by during the Belmont Blizzard “just in case.”

  • Call 911 only if the emergency is life-threatening.
  • If the power goes out, call Belmont Light’s notification number at 617-993-2800. You can see the location of outages in Belmont on a real-time map here.
  • A question about snowplowing on public streets? Call the DPW’s Highway Division 617-993-2690.
  • Everything you need to know about the storm and town resources can be found online at 
  • Get updates on all sorts of town information at the Belmont Police twitter page, https://twitter.com/BelmontPD, and at the Town Administrator’s site.

Fire Damages Several Businesses in Cushing Square

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Photo: Belmont Fire Chief David L. Frizzell at the scene

A building’s sprinkler system did its job preventing a fire from spreading and allowed the Belmont Fire Department to extinguish a one-alarm blaze that damaged three businesses in Cushing Square around 8 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 14.

A fire alarm was activated at 8:23 p.m. at 448 Common St. in what is called The Spirited Gourmet Building, said Belmont Fire Chief David L. Frizzell at the scene. When fire equipment arrived two minutes later, the fire control panel indicated a blaze in Pilgrim Shoe Repair.

Upon gaining access, crews discovered the store full of smoke and small fire in the back corner of the operation.

“The sprinkler’s worked controlling the fire long enough for our personnel to knock it down,” said Frizzell. Fire crews spent nearly two hours searching for “hot spots” in the walls and ceiling. Besides the Pilgrim, water damage was reported in The Spirited Gourmet and the Fred Astaire Dance Studio.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is underway.

Belmont Shuts Down Thursday As Major Storm Arrives – But Trash Will Be Picked Up!

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Photo: It’s coming!

Belmont will effectively shut down for the entirety of Thursday, Jan. 4, as the region will be hit by what some are calling a “bomb cyclone” or what most New Englanders still describe as a good ol’ Nor’easter.

The National Weather Service issued a Winter Storm Warning at 4:29 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3 that will be in effect from 1 a.m. Thursday to 1 a.m. Friday, Jan. 5. Snow will be heavy and winds will be steady at 20 mph with gusts reaching 40 mph. 

In terms of timeline, the snow will begin in the early morning hours of Thursday, continuing throughout the day. The worst of the storm will occur from noon until 6 p.m. when most of the snow will be on the ground.

How much? Depending on what media source you decide is credible predicting the weather, from 8-12 inches (Globe), 9-13 from the NWS or 18 inches (Patch).

And Belmont will be shut down tight for the “bomb”: 

  • Belmont Public Schools will be closed on Thursday.
  • Town buildings will be closed.
  • There will be a SNOW EMERGENCY PARKING BAN in Belmont on all roadways and Municipal parking lots including schools effective at 6 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4 until further notice. All vehicles parked in violation of the ban will be towed at the owner’s expense.
  • Belmont Public Library and the Benton Library will be closed
  • Trash and recycling will be picked up as scheduled on Thursday.

If residents have any questions, they should call the snow emergency hotline at 617-993-2698.  

[UPDATE] Police: Elderly Man Missing From School Street Home Wednesday

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Photo: Joseph Gallagher.

UPDATE: (10/26/2017) Belmont Police officers have found the elderly man missing from the School Street home for the past 24 hours.

“Mr. Gallagher has been found safe! We’d like to thank all of our Facebook and Twitter followers for sharing!” read a Twitter message from the BPD dated Oct. 26.

PHOTO:

The Belmont Police is asking the public to help locate an elderly man who is suffering from Alzheimer’s who is missing from his home at 583 School St. 

The man is Joseph Gallagher. He is a 72 years old white male, 5’10”, 135 lbs, blue eyes, grey hair.

Gallagher was last seen early this morning and last heard from at 2:30 p.m. He is known to frequent the Payson Park area. 

If you have seen someone fitting this description, call the Belmont Police at 617-484-1212.