WINCHENDON — On Friday, March 20, 2026, at approximately 3:38 a.m., firefighters with the Winchendon Fire Department were dispatched to 283 Lincoln Avenue Extension following multiple 911 calls reporting a structure fire at a large abandoned mill building.
According to the Winchendon Fire Department, upon arrival, Shift Commander Tyler Pelkey reported seeing a fully involved three-story mill building with multiple exposures and promptly requested a second alarm. A third alarm was later struck due to the size and intensity of the fire, bringing additional personnel and apparatus to the scene.
Winchendon police and firefighters evacuated residents from Brown Avenue, located directly behind the building, as a precaution. Fire crews prioritized protecting nearby residential structures and successfully prevented the fire from spreading to adjacent homes, the Winchendon Fire Department reported. Two mill-style buildings across the street sustained minor damage from spot fires, but firefighters were able to quickly contain and extinguish those extensions.
Firefighters remained on scene throughout the morning and into the early afternoon conducting overhaul operations. An excavator was used to assist with extinguishing persistent hot spots. By approximately 1:50 p.m., operations were concluding and residents were allowed to return home, though officials said power restoration in the area would require extensive work.
No injuries were reported.
Mutual aid was provided by the Gardner, Templeton, Ashburnham, Westminster, Royalston, Jaffrey and Rindge fire departments, along with Gardner Fire EMS and the Ashburnham Drone Unit. The Richmond Fire Department provided station coverage.
The Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office and the District 8 Fire Investigation Unit, both of which responded to the scene, are investigating the cause of the fire. The Department of Fire Services Rehabilitation Unit also assisted at the scene.
