GARDNER — On Thursday, Jan. 29, 2026, at 4:45 a.m., the Gardner Dispatch Center received multiple 911 calls reporting a building fire on West Broadway near the intersection of Airport Road.
According to Gardner Fire Chief Gregory Lagoy, the first firefighters to arrive on scene reported heavy fire in the rear attic area of the one-story structure and struck a second alarm, bringing off-duty Gardner firefighters and multiple mutual aid departments to the scene.
Crews initially began an interior attack but were forced to leave the building due to the heavy fire conditions and transitioned to a defensive exterior operation, Chief Lagoy said.
“Firefighters were hampered by extreme cold temperatures and deep snow conditions which caused equipment to freeze and ice to quickly form around the scene,” Chief Lagoy said in a statement.
The building, located at 838 West Broadway, is occupied by the 1-2-3 Grow Child Care Center. The building was unoccupied at the time of the fire and is considered a total loss.
Mutual aid was provided on scene by the fire departments from Westminster, Winchendon, Ashburnham, Hubbardston, and Templeton. Station coverage in Gardner was provided by the Athol, Fitchburg, and Leominster fire departments.
Two Gardner firefighters suffered minor injuries that did not require transport to a hospital.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the District 8 Fire Investigation Unit and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office.
