Westport Selectmen notes — Family rescued, street light and more

Posted 1/5/18

At its meeting of December 27, the Board of Selectmen ….

•Saluted Reserve Officer Brian Souza for his actions in saving four people from a fire at 109 Briggs Road on Sept. 8.

Deborah and …

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Westport Selectmen notes — Family rescued, street light and more

Posted

At its meeting of December 27, the Board of Selectmen ….

•Saluted Reserve Officer Brian Souza for his actions in saving four people from a fire at 109 Briggs Road on Sept. 8.

Deborah and Larry White of 109 Briggs Road described what happened in a letter to selectmen thanking Mr. Souza.

The evening before, they said, a car had hit a nearby electric pole and, shortly after 10 p.m., the electric company made repairs to that pole.

Early the next morning, Mr. Souza spotted smoke coming from a bedroom in the house and quickly called 911 and the electric company to ask that power be cut off at the pole.

He then pounded on the door to wake us up, the couple wrote. The four inside heard him and made it safely outside. We were totally unaware of anything being wrong, the Whites wrote.

Fire caused heavy damage floor to ceiling in that bedroom and up into the attic. The rest of the house sustained smoke and water damage that ruined most of their belongings.

The Whites are now living in a trailer while their house is repaired.

• Granted permission for a six-month trailer permit to Sousa Family LLC, Fall River. The company said it needs the trailer for business purposes as they work to open a car dealership at 222 State Road, once the location of the Westport Drive-In.

Efforts to build a more permanent structure were delayed by septic system issues.

The company intends to keep 60 to 70 vehicles there and be open six days a week (closed Sundays).

• Agreed to look into installing a street light at the junction of Sodom Road and Narrow Avenue.

Police Lt. John Ball made the request for safety and other issues he has observed at the corner which, despite improvements made a few years ago, sees accidents on a fairly frequent basis.

Recently, Lt. Bell said he saw evidence that driver(s) had been doing donuts there, ripping up the grass. Also, street signs have been stolen and there are blind curves on the Sodom Road approaches to the intersection.

Selectmen said they will ask that the location be added to a street light plan being developed for next summer.

• Expressed appreciation to Ann Plamondon for a $2,500 gift she made to the Animal Gift Fund. Board Chairman Steven Ouellette noted that Ms. Plamondon has done much to help animals in town, including the donation of a van for animal control use.

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