Follow Up: Cambridge Man Arrested on Drug Charges in Trapelo Haz Mat Incident

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Photo: The incident on Trapelo.

A Cambridge resident was arrested on multiple drug charges on Sunday, May 22, after he ran his vehicle into one of the new raised traffic islands on Trapelo Road, resulting in the busy thoroughfare being closed for nearly five hours due to possible hazardous material found in the car.

Jonathan Ottinger, 26, of 172r Harvard St., Cambridge, was charged with operating a motor vehicle under the influence of drugs, possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute, three counts of possession of Class E drugs and a marked lane violation. 

The incident continues to be under investigation by Belmont Police. 

A Belmont Police officer on patrol “looked up after hearing Ottinger’s 2003 VW Passet hit the island at 12:12 p.m.  When he arrived at the scene, he found the vehicle’s driver-side tires flat by the collision adjacent to the CVS/Pharmacy at 264 Trapelo Rd. 

After a short investigation, Ottinger was placed in custody. Soon afterwards, Belmont Fire was called to the scene – the incident took place 100 feet from Belmont Fire headquarters – and it was determined that the scene warrented a visit by a regional Haz Mat team. 

Trapelo Road was closed until just after 5 p.m. 

The one Class D drug under Massachusetts law is marijuana. A person convicted of possession of a Class D substance with intent to distribute can be sentenced up to two years in county jail and fined between $500 to $5,000. 

A Class E controlled substance includes lighter doses of prescription drugs that contain Codeine, Morphine and opium. Conviction could see a person sentenced to up to nine months in jail and fined between $250 to $2,500.

Belmont Firefighters Agree To Drug/Alcohol Testing In New Contract

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Photo: Belmont Fire in action.

Drug and alcohol testing policy is now part of firefighters job after the Belmont Board of Selectmen approved a three-year contract with the 54 members of the International Association of Firefighter Local 1637 at its Monday, April 25 meeting. 

“The firefighters really stepped up to the plate with the town” reaching an agreement after two years of negotiations, said Belmont Fire Department Chief David Frizzell. 

While the mandatory testing is new to the department, “it’s becoming the norm among the majority of top tier fire departments,” said Assistant Fire Chief Angus Davison.

The contract, which is retroactive to July 1, 2014, and runs through June 31, 2017, provides for an annual salary cost and living adjustment of two percent and while 13 personnel will see their yearly Advanced Life Savings stipend bumped up from $2,000 to $2,750. 

New employees will pay more for their health insurance contributions, from 20 to 25 percent, while seeing a 25 cent increase per hour in compensation. There are also changes in benefits for personnel who obtain associate’s and bachelor’s degrees in fire science. 

Obituary: Retired Fire Capt. David Frizzell [Updated]

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Photo: Retired Belmont Fire Department Capt. David M. Frizzell

[This article was updated on March 22 at 6 a.m.]

Belmont Fire Fighters Local 1637 on Monday, March 21, 2016, announced the passing of retired Belmont Fire Department Capt. David M. Frizzell.

Frizzell, who lived for many years with his wife, Linda, on Thayer Road, served as the Shift Commander of Group 1. 

Frizzell was appointed to the Belmont Fire Department as a firefighter on April 7, 1963. He was promoted to Lieutenant. on January 5, 1969, and to the rank of Captain on July 15, 1979.

He retired from the Belmont Fire Department with nearly 29 years of service on December 28, 1992.

Frizzell was also a state licenced master electrician since 1965 and a general contractor in Belmont. He was also a US Army veteran who served in Korea.

Frizzell is survived by his wife, Linda Frizzell (Sawtell) and children; Richard Frizzell, Belmont Fire Chief David L. Frizzell and his wife Kristina, Mark Frizzell, Laura Frizzell Grace and her husband Robert and the late Michael Frizzell. He is the grandfather to Michael, Erin, Matthew, Daniel and Christopher Frizzell, Jessica Brennick and Joshua and Eddie Grace and cherished his three great-grandchildren. He was a brother to Jane Carey, Louise Ambrose and the late Charles Frizzell. He is survived by many nieces and nephews. 

Visiting hours at Brown & Hickey Funeral Home, 36 Trapelo Road, will be held on Wednesday, March 23 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

A funeral service will be held at Grace Chapel, 59 Worthen Rd., Lexington on Thursday, March 24 at 11 a.m. Burial will be private. 

Instead of flowers, donations may be made in his memory to the Belmont Fireman’s Relief Association, P. O. Box 79222, Waverley, MA. 02479.

Ohlin’s Owners Declare ‘We’ll Be Back’ After Flash Fire, Explosion Closes Shop

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Photo: The rear of Ohlin’s Bakery that suffered the most damage.

The flash fire that rocked Ohlin’s Bakery early Tuesday morning, March 15, sent the family who’ve owned the store since the 1960s reeling.

“We are still in shock,” said Marybeth Klemm, who with her husband owns and runs the century old Belmont institution in the heart of Cushing Square.

But even as they start the difficult work of getting back on their feet, the Klemm’s have been the recipients of a steady stream of support from their loyal customers.

“It warms our hearts to know the community is rallying behind us,” Marybeth told the Belmontonian Tuesday afternoon, March 15.

Belmont has been following closely the news of the early morning explosion that knocked down both Klemm and his assistant that came from an oven that was turned on to start a long morning of baking the store’s award-winning baked goods including its famous donuts.

“I’m extremely grateful that Paul and Nouri [Hessasta] were not hurt! They have angels watching over them!” said Marybeth.

David Frizzell, Belmont Fire Chief, told the Belmontonian dispatchers received a call at 2:47 a.m. for an explosion and a fire at Ohlin’s at 456 Common St. near the intersection of Trapelo Road.

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“When the fire companies arrived, the fire was out,” said Frizzell. Fire personnel found two people at the scene, one, the owner Paul Klemm, had been “engulfed” in the flash fire that followed the explosion. While singed by the flames, both he and Hessasta declined medical attention.

Frizzell said his crews found the back of the operation, where the baking takes place “suffered significant structural damage” with a portion of the roof and a part of the back wall collapsed.

“Right now it’s unsafe to be in that portion of the building so the owner needs to get an engineer in there to do a structural analysis of that section to find out what repairs need to be done,” said Frizzell.

In addition, the front window of Jerry’s Barber Shop next to the bakery was blown out.

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While first indications point to natural gas as the culprit, Frizzell said the incident remains under investigation. As a precaution, gas and electrical service were shut off to surrounding businesses so town inspectors could inspect the infrastructure.

Glenn Clancy, director of the Office of Community Development which includes the Building Department which handles inspections, said initial inspection determined the back space of the bakery is “unsafe for occupancy.”

It will be up to the landlord to pull building permits to begin repairs. Clancy’s office will need to inspect the work while other town departments, such as health, will be involved as the business readies to open.

Clancy said he could not say how long the work will take but the retail portion of the building will remain closed until the bakery section is approved for occupancy.

Marybeth said the family is moving forward in reopening the business, although it will be later than sooner before the business opens once again.

“We are in the process of talking with the insurance company. There was a lot of structural damage; so we are not sure how long it will take to fix,” she said.

Marybeth wanted the public to know; “We will try and be back in business as soon as possible! Thanks for your support!”

Two-Vehicle Accident Sends Five to Area Hospitals [VIDEO]

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Photo: Accident on Grove Street. 

A two-vehicle accident sent five people to area hospitals and closed down Grove Street to inbound traffic around noon on Sunday, March 6.

According to an initial police report, eyewitnesses and the driver of the second vehicle observed a white Nissan sedan with Delaware plates traveling on Grove Street away from Belmont Street when it made a “sudden and wild” turn onto Marion Road in an apparent attempt to make a U-turn to head back towards Belmont Street.

When the Nissan, carrying a driver and two passengers, crossed the roadway, it was hit board side by a silver Acura SUV on Grove Street.

The collision caused air bags to be deployed in both vehicles, sending the Nissan c into a driveway.

Belmont Fire arrived to stabilize the victims which included the three in the Nissan and a mother and her daughter in the SUV. They were all sent to area hospitals for observations. 

Belmont Police would not say if a citation will be given to either the Nissan or the Acura driver. 

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Belmont Fire Log: Co-Workers Fall Victim to Careless Disposal of Smokes

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Photo: The victims. 

On the fence

Sept. 6 – At 8:35 a.m., Engine 1 and its crew sped to Waverely Square’s Church Street for a report of a smoldering mulch fire that had extended to a nearby fence post. The team used hand tools and a two-and-a-half gallon can of water to extinguish the fire.

Needs air 

Sept. 6 – At a quarter past 9 a.m., a crew from the Belmont Center station were sent to nearby Stone Hearth Pizza on Leonard Street for a “medical emergency.” Turns out that the alarm went off because painters didn’t ventilate the area tripping the alarm.

Let us in

Sept. 7 – Just before 3 a.m., fire crews were dispatched to a distillery on Brighton Street after the duct smoke detector went off. The firefighters who were first to arrive could not get inside the store because the keys inside the lock box could not open the door’s deadbolts. So an outside visual inspection was performed, and there were no signs of smoke or fire.  The crews made a return visit to the location an hour later companies for a second false alarm activation. 

I’m getting in

Sept. 7 – At 10 past 8 p.m., a crew was dispatched to South Cottage Road for a person who forgot their keys and needed a little help getting inside the townhouse. The property owner signed a release form then used some force on the door lock in the garage to get inside.

A little help

Sept. 8 – At just about 1:30 a.m., firefighters were sent to Slade Street for yet another resident who locked themselves out of their abode. This time, entry was gained through an open first-floor window. There was no damage. 

Power play

Sept. 8 – At a minute past 10 a.m., Engine 1, Engine 2 and the Ladder truck took off to Winter Street house for a report of an odor of smoke inside the house. Turns out an electrical power strip was arcing in the home office. Fire personnel unplugged the strip and used water to cool a scorched area of the rug. Firefighters also spoke with the homeowner regarding overloading of plugs and a missing face plates to several outlets in other parts of the home.

Lost: a working couple

Sept. 9 – At just before half-past 4 p.m., crews were dispatched to the rear of Salon Monroe on Pleasant Street for the aftermath of an outdoor rubbish fire. They found an extinguished fire in the right rear corner of the building where a mop and bucket had burned due to the careless disposal of cigarettes. Occupants were advised to use a proper container for disposing of smoking materials in the future.

Belmont High Will Be In Session Tuesday Despite Early Morning Fire Monday

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Photo: Crews cleaning the room where a floor cleaning machine was destroyed by fire early Monday morning, May 25.

Belmont High School will be open on Tuesday, May 26, a day after a fire in a storage room next to the school’s auditorium destroyed a floor-cleaning machine and damaged the room.

“The fire started shortly before two o’clock this morning and [the entire] company went down there for an alarm investigation,” said Belmont Fire Chief David Frizzell.

“When they got there, they found smoke coming from a custodial storage room underneath the back end of the auditorium outside the hallway that runs from the cafeteria and the music department,” said Frizzell.

In flames was a battery-operated floor maintenance machine used to clean and wash the school’s floors. It’s suspected an overheated battery caused the fire. The arriving companies stretched hose lines into the building to reach the area.

The blaze destroyed the machine and resulted in smoke and water damage to the room and a thick, smokey odor throughout in the auditorium and the immediate area, said Frizzell.

In an unrelated issue, a water pipe in the recirculation system in the adjacent room “let go” resulting in the water being shut off, he said.

By early Monday afternoon, building maintenance had opened all the doors to the school and positioned fans to clear the smoke from the premise. 

“Early this morning, the odor was overpowering. Now it’s so much better,” said Angela Braun, Belmont’s Health Department Director, as she visited the site.

Inside, members from a professional service company were scrubbing the walls and floors of the damaged room as water service was returned to the building. 

The fire comes as the town’s Capital Budget Committee prepares to replace the existing 40 year old alarm system the Fire Department said is past its useful life. The $1 million price tag to replace the system drained the entire bonding capacity provided to Capital Budget in this year’s $4.5 million Proposition 2 1/2 override. 

[Update] BREAKING: Fire Destroys Jimmy’s Food Mart, Damages Block of Stores

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Photo: The fire at Jimmy’s Food Mart that occurred on Saturday, April 18. 

A three-alarm fire destroyed the convenient store Jimmy’s Food Mart and damaged a business block – including a new restaurant days away from opening – at the corner of Belmont and School streets on the Watertown line.

At this time, no one is thought to have been injured in the fire that occurred just after 7:30 p.m., Saturday, April 18. 

Belmont Fire Department Fire Chief David Frizzell told the Belmontonian the department received a call reporting a fire in the store.

“When we arrived, there was heavy fire in the back of the market. We don’t know if the store was open but there was someone there,” Frizzell said.

The inferno and smoke could be seen blocks away as flames reached high into the twilight sky as dozens of firefighters battled the conflagration so it would not spread to an abutting residential building at the corner of Lewis Road. Bystanders flocked to the scene as sirens and a helicopter brought attention to the scene. 

The blaze halted traffic on the normally busy thoroughfare as fire equipment from neighboring communities – including Watertown, Cambridge and Waltham – lent mutual aid, sending vehicles and the MBTA 73 bus onto Fairview Avenue. In addition, electricity was cut off in the blocks near the fire. 

“A Watertown engine arrived when we did so we had help from the start,” said Frizzell.

It took about half-an-hour to knock down most of the flames.

“Jimmy’s is heavily damaged, the roof has come in and there’s heavy fire damage. It’s a loss,” he said.

Parmjit Singh, owner of Jimmy’s, located at 297 Belmont St., was watched from across the street as his business burned.

“I put all my dreams in this town,” Singh told the Belmontonian. “A lot of people supported us. Now my business, everything is gone.”

Singh and his wife and partner, Surinder Kaur Dhaliwal, bought the shuttered site of the former Shore Drug in 2013 and opened it as a convenience store in January 2014. The store is managed by their son and business partner, Jimmy Singh.

Since opening, neighborhood reaction has been overwhelmingly favorable, with residents commending the owners for operating a clean and inviting business. Earlier this year, the Belmont Board of Selectmen rejected a beer and wine license to Singh and Dhaliwal. 

“I was here until 10 a.m. when I went home to sleep. Then my wife called to say the business was on fire,” Singh said. He does not know what the future holds for Jimmy’s.

“I want to open. I need to open. But I don’t know right now,” he said.

The fire caused heavy smoke and water damage to the other retail establishments on the block, said Frizzell. The businesses including Shine on Salon, Parmagian & Marinelli Law Office, Dr. Edward J. Burns Optometrist, Hemmingway Tailoring-Alterations, and a new eatery, “Tony G’s Barbecue,” in the former location of Gustazo Cuban Restaurant at 289 Belmont St. It was reported to open soon with new furniture and fixtures already installed.  

The fire is currently under investigation by the Belmont Fire and Belmont Police departments as the Massachusetts Fire Marshall was also at the scene, said Frizzell.  

“We’ll be here for the rest of the night. There’s pockets of fire we still need to get to. There’s quite a bit of work ahead of us,” he said. 

Three Fire Department ‘Newbies’ Brings Belmont’s Staffing to 2009 Levels

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Photo: Belmont Town Clerk Ellen Cushman (from left) swears in Ryan Keane, Andrew Butler and Charles Gerrard as Belmont’s newest firefighters.

Belmont’s Fire Department has three “newbies” among its ranks starting last week.

Charles Gerrard, Andrew Butler, and Ryan Keane were appointed as firefighters on Monday, March 16 by Belmont Fire Chief David Frizzell, and sworn in by Town Clerk Ellen Cushman at the Town Hall in a brief ceremony.

The three new firefighters are also Massachusetts-certified paramedics. After their initial training, they will be sent to the Massachusetts Firefighting Academy in Stow to participate in the nine week Career Recruit Training Program. While assigned at the academy, they will study firefighting strategy and tactics, fire ground evolutions, motor vehicle extrication, search and rescue, and hazardous materials mitigation among numerous other topics.

“We welcome the new firefighters and are looking forward to working with them. We wish them a long healthy and safe career with us,” said Frizzell.

These new firefighters are being hired as part of a Federal Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) Grant to restore lost firefighter positions, bringing the department back to its 2009 staffing level of 57-and-a-half full-time equivalent (FTE) positions.  This level is still 23-and-a-half FTE positions lower than the department’s historic staffing level of 82 full-time employees and two part-time employees.

Belmont Fire Log: An Act of Kindness for a Belmont Senior

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Outside, looking in

March 8 – Just about half past noon, a fire crew headed to a residence on Simmons Avenue to help yet another resident who found themselves locked out of their home.

Search on a cold night

March 9 – A hair before 6 p.m., Engine 1 and the Rescue truck took off towards a house on Beech Street after someone reported seeing a person in a nearby snow bank. Crews took the call quite serious as the call came from a group house for people needing assistance in their daily lives. When the firefighters got there, they couldn’t find anyone in the area. In addition, everyone at the group home was accounted for. The person who made the call told the crews that the person who he spotted in the snow had left the location.

Boiler blowout

March 10 – A couple of minutes after 1 a.m., a fire squad responded to a report of gushing water in house on Greybirch Park. The team discovered that the boiler had cracked and water was leaking out. The heating system was shut down.

Time for spring cleaning

March 11 – Just before half past 11 a.m., firefighters arrived at a Centre Avenue house after they got a report the fire alarm had gone off. Turns out workers doing renovations had kicked up enough dust to accidentally activated the smoke detector.

Going above and beyond

March 13 – It was too early in the morning, just after 3 a.m. when the dispatcher received a call from a disabled resident needing help. The Engine 1 crew arrived a cold Slade Street two-family where they found a man in his 70s sitting in a chair in the living room, a walker close at hand. The resident told the firefighters he was unsure how to use the digital wall thermostat and could the crew turn up the heat in the apartment. The firefighters showed the resident how to adjust the thermostat and waited for the heat to return. While the elderly man denied that he needed any other assistance at the moment, the firefighters encouraged him to call back when the need arises.