SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) It's a story first reported on 22News, police say a Springfield woman who was allegedly driving drunk, has been charged with causing a fire at the city's newly opened, L.A. Fitness.
Flames could be seen coming from the transformer outside L.A. Fitness, licking the side of the building and sending smoke inside the sports club.
The new $16-million dollar River Front redevelopment project was set a blaze after the electrical equipment was hit by an alleged drunken driver.
"It was disappointing I came right down and I'm very happy the fire was contained to the side of the building," said property co-owner Peter Pappas.
After the fire scene was cleared, the crime scene team moved in to piece together the morning's chain of events. At 3:30 a.m., State Police say, minutes before firefighters arrived, 35-year-old Dara Howard was pulled over for driving the wrong way down West Columbus Avenue.
"He observed a vehicle pulling out of the old Basketball Hall of Fame parking lot by L.A. Fitness heavily damaged," said Mass State Police Sergeant Alan Joubert.
The Springfield woman has been charged with OUI and leaving the scene of an accident.
The blaze has for now effectively closed the restaurant and gym. Peter Pappas says he hopes everything will be back up and running in a few days.
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops
About MassCops, the home for Massachusetts law enforcement.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network opened in 1998 and is now a part of the New England Police Network The site is a pro-police discussion forum intended for sworn police officers and civilian law enforcement officials as well as those interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement here in Massachusetts.
The goal of The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network is to provide an informal network of law enforcement officials here in Massachusetts for educational and informational purposes.
The forum covers many topics such as Police Related News Articles, Agency & Profession Discussions, Police Training as well as Law Enforcement Career Information.
The Massachusetts Law Enforcement Network and The New England Police Network (NEPN) and it's network sites are privately owned websites/domains and are not affiliated with or endorsed by any government association or agency.
MassCops (masscops.com) and (masscop.com) are privately owned are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Massachusetts Coalition of Police (masscop.org)
ma police, boston ma police, massachusetts police, massachusetts police, mass state police, mass police, ma, mass, massachusetts, massachusetts, massachutes, massachusetts law, massachusetts polece, police, officer, police officer, cops, police gear, law enforcement, police duty gear, state police, sheriff, law, police supply, police agency directory, police agency, police department, traffic officer, police dept, state trooper, dispatcher, massachusetts county sheriff, massachusetts sheriff, massachusetts department of corrections, ma doc, doc, dept of corrections, police information, civil service, ma civil service, massachusetts crime, police training, police academy, ma police academy, massachusetts officers, masscop, masscops, mpa, bpa, ibpoa, police association, massachusetts police news, massachusetts crime news, mass most wanted, police career information, police patrol, police administration, police books, crime scene training, police discussion, crime discussions, cops