Minor fire singes wall at Palmer Train Depot

PALMER — Firefighters worked Saturday night to make sure an electrical fire in the Palmer Train Depot was fully extinguished.

Palmer Police Department Cmdr. Tom Remaley said there was a group renting out the space that smelled something burning and called in the fire. By all accounts, it was a minor incident, he said.

“It scorched the Sheetrock,” Remaley said.

“It pretty much burned itself out,” said Todd Russell, assistant chief and training coordinator for the Palmer Fire Department.

He said firefighters were there mostly to make double sure it wasn’t still smoldering. They used thermal imaging cameras to make sure there weren’t any hotspots. Anyone driving in the area that night was treated to the sight of fire trucks and police cars encircling the building.

Though the main floor of the depot is well-used as a public meeting space, the fire was actually in building’s little-used basement.

Remaley said the basement has boilers and mechanical systems in it. He said that portion of the building has decidedly not been renovated.

“They found an old 1940s fire extinguisher down there. The fire department’s going to try to get it cleaned up and over to the museum,” Remaley said.

Russell said the fire department had a little bit of trouble getting down there.

“We did not have a key, so we forced the door open,” Russell said, though he thinks probably someone had a key. “I’m sure maintenance is in there on a regular basis.”