Fires to Bank Robbery, October a Busy Month in Wilmington

From a tree house fire to a bank robbery and a hurricane, it was a busy month for the Wilmington Police Department and Wilmington Fire Department.

With October coming to a close earlier this week, we give you a look at the top police and fire stories from Wilmington Patch in the last month.

October 4 

Tempers flared on the picket line when police said an independent truck driver approached striking employees at xpedx and when officers stopped him he suddenly accelerated.

Gerald Smith, 78, was charged with a variety of motor vehicle offenses, including assault with a dangerous weapon, after an officer was briefly by the vehicle.

October 6

A Factory Road tree house went up in flames after a group of youths were playing with matches inside. No one was hurt during the incident, and firefighters put out the flames before they reached a 55-gallon barrel of antifreeze sitting below.

“It’s an issue that’s been around for a lot of years, kids bored and playing with matches not realizing how dangerous they can be,” said Deputy Fire Chief Rick McClellan. “Kids underestimate the power of their actions, and having a fire inside a tree fort is what this came down to.”

October 15 

An improperly discarded cigarette started a fire on the deck of an Avalon Drive apartment, but luckily for the resident the flames never made it to the inside of the property before firefighters put them out.

October 26

About one week after the Lowell Five Bank on Main Street was robbed, Massachusetts State Police arrested the man Wilmington officers believe was responsible for the incident. 

Daniel Simard, 26, of Lawrence, was arrested on October 19 and charged with unarmed robbery for allegedly slipping the teller a note demanding money.

October 28

Wilmington resident Daniel Sweet was honored in Wakefield for his impressive actions after a man attempted to run from police after fleeing a traffic stop and allegedly dragging an officer with him as he drove away. 

Wakefield Police said when the man crashed into a stone wall and attempted to get away, Sweet held him down until officers arrived.

October 29

Hurricane Sandy made sure officers and firefighters were busy as the month came to a close.

There was a long list of incidents in town related to Sandy, but the most dangerous may have been when a pine tree snapped and fell on the front of a passing truck, trapping the driver on Shawsheen Ave.

Firefighters extricated the man from the vehicle and he was transported to a local hospital with injuries to his legs.