All residents evacuated after fire on 3rd floor of nursing home in Rockland, Mass.
OF ANY INJURIES SINCE THAT LAST UPDATE? WELL, JENN, THANKFULLY NO ONE HAS BEEN INJURED IN THIS FIRE AND I CAN ACTUALLY STILL HEAR THE FIRE ALARM ALARM GOING OFF IN THIS BUILDING. CREWS TOOK SEVERAL HOURS TO EVACUATE ALL 102 RESIDENTS FROM THIS BUILDING, AND MANY OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE MOBILITY ISSUES. SO FIRE CREWS HAD TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY CARRY THEM OUT OF THE BUILDING. MY MOM IS IN HERE RIGHT NOW. CHRISTY BURKE HAS BEEN ANXIOUSLY WAITING FOR HER MOM, RITA, TO BE EVACUATED FROM THE WEBSTER PARK REHABILITATION AND HEALTH CARE CENTER. I’M JUST REALLY WORRIED ABOUT, LIKE, WHAT SHE’S GOING THROUGH MENTALLY. IT’S JUST STANDING HERE STARING AT THE BUILDING, WONDERING, YOU KNOW, WHAT’S GOING ON IN THERE. AND IS SHE OKAY? A FIRE STARTED THERE NEAR A NURSING STATION ON THE THIRD FLOOR THAT WAS EASY TO PUT OUT, BUT THE SMOKE BECAME A MAJOR ISSUE. THE FIRE WAS HELD IN CHECK BY THE SPRINKLER SYSTEM, WHICH AGAIN, IT DOESN’T COMPLETELY PUTS IT OUT, WHICH DOES CAUSE A LOT OF SMOKE TO TO BE PRODUCED. CREWS BEGAN EVACUATING PATIENTS STARTING ON THE THIRD FLOOR, WHERE 22 PEOPLE LIVED. IT’S MOVING PATIENTS THAT ARE BEDRIDDEN, THAT ARE ELDERLY, A LITTLE BIT LESS MOBILE THAN THAN YOUR YOUR YOUNGER POPULATION. SO THEY DID NEED ASSISTANCE COMING DOWN, MOSTLY CARRYING THEM TO THE SECOND FLOOR AND TO THE FIRST FLOOR WHERE THEY WOULD BE SAFE FROM THE SMOKE. THE FIRE CHIEF SAYS THE DEPARTMENT DOES QUARTERLY INSPECTIONS OF THE PROPERTY, AND THAT THE SMOKE DETECTORS AND SPRINKLERS WERE ALL WORKING. BURKE IS HAPPY TO HEAR THAT, AND IS NOW SHIFTING HER FOCUS ON WHERE HER MOM WILL BE STAYING. IT’S VERY CONCERNING WHERE THEY ARE TAKING THEM. STAFF IS NOW WORKING TO RELOCATE ALL THE PATIENTS AT OTHER FACILITIES, AND THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATIO
All residents evacuated after fire on 3rd floor of nursing home in Rockland, Mass.
Updated: 10:50 PM EST Nov 29, 2025
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All 102 residents of a nursing home and rehabilitation facility in Rockland, Massachusetts, will be evacuated after a Saturday afternoon fire. Rockland Fire Chief Scott Duffey said the Webster Park Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center at 56 Webster St. will need to be closed for some time because of smoke and water damage.Duffey said the fire was reported at 4 p.m. The complete evacuation of the building took about 40 minutes. The first firefighters to arrive found the flames were being held in check by the automatic sprinkler system. Still, heavy smoke affected the third floor of the structure. More than 20 people who were on the third floor were carried downstairs as part of the evacuation. In addition to the Rockland Fire Department, the Brockton and Hanover Fire Departments confirmed they are providing resources to help with the situation. The firefighter union in Whitman also said it was assisting. A rehab unit from the Department of Fire Services was also sent to support the firefighters. Duffey said teams of ambulances were called in to assist with the evacuation and relocation of the residents.
All 102 residents of a nursing home and rehabilitation facility in Rockland, Massachusetts, will be evacuated after a Saturday afternoon fire.
Rockland Fire Chief Scott Duffey said the Webster Park Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center at 56 Webster St. will need to be closed for some time because of smoke and water damage.
Duffey said the fire was reported at 4 p.m. The complete evacuation of the building took about 40 minutes.
The first firefighters to arrive found the flames were being held in check by the automatic sprinkler system. Still, heavy smoke affected the third floor of the structure.
More than 20 people who were on the third floor were carried downstairs as part of the evacuation.
In addition to the Rockland Fire Department, the Brockton and Hanover Fire Departments confirmed they are providing resources to help with the situation. The firefighter union in Whitman also said it was assisting.
A rehab unit from the Department of Fire Services was also sent to support the firefighters.
Duffey said teams of ambulances were called in to assist with the evacuation and relocation of the residents.
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