UPDATED: Framingham Battles 2 Fires Within An Hour

Framingham firefighters had just extinguished a dumpster fire Wednesday morning March 9, when they were called to a house fire, said Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Burns.

At 10:19 a.m., the Framingham Fire Department responded to 550 Cochituate Road for a trash compactor fire, said Deputy Chief Burns.

When we arrived on the scene, flames were coming from a 30-yard trash compactor/dumpster attached to the commercial building.

Firefighters using two hoses, one on the fire and one on the building to keep the fire from spreading, were able to knock down the fire within 10 minutes.

It is unknown how the fire started. The deputy chief said careless disposal of items may be a cause.

We were just wrapping up when we got the call for the house fire, he said.

At 10:48 a.m., firefighters responded to a home at 10 Wilmont Road.

Upon arrival, Deputy Chief Burns said firefighters discovered a solar panel on the roof had caught fire. An animal or bird's nest was found underneath the panel, and had also caught fire.

Power to the home from the solar panels was cut, but the fire still posed dangers for firefighters, said Deputy Chief Burns, as the panels were "still producing direct current, as long as the sun was out."

"Because they were energized still," we "needed to work more carefully" battling the fire, explained Deputy Chief Burns.

Firefighters used a dry chemical to put out the fire, he explained.

No firefighters were injured.

The fire only damaged one solar panel, about 5.5-feet by 3.5-feet, and did not spread to the home.

Deputy Chief Burns estimated damage at $5,000.

The homeowner was home when the fire started.

Deputy Chief Burns said a part of the solar panel igniting the nest underneath and that fire spread to the entire solar panel.

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Photos submitted to Framingham Patch