A fire engulfed the historic Fuller Box Company in North Attleboro, Massachusetts this past Friday, significantly damaging the longtime fixture of the town's manufacturing district. The blaze, reported at around 7:50 a.m. on Chestnut Street, saw fire departments from North Attleboro, Attleboro, Foxboro, Mansfield, Norton, and Plainville swiftly respond to the call for aid, with workers evacuating the premises without injury.
According to a statement obtained by CBS Boston, North Attleboro Fire Chief Christopher Coleman praised the firefighters' quick actions and suggested that the building's sprinkler systems played a critical role in preventing the fire from causing more extensive damage, although the factory's age, with its old wooden construction, meant that the fire rapidly spread through the walls and up into the attic before the brigade could fully contain the flames.
The fire was under control by 9 a.m., but crews remained on-site to manage hot spots and to ensure the fire was completely out. While all the employees inside the factory were reported safe, the building suffered significant structural damage. WPRI's coverage included comments from Chief Coleman, stating that "They’ve been here forever in this town. It’s an icon building."
Offerings more than just containment for goods, the Fuller Box Company had been a familiar name in the box manufacturing industry since 1944 forming numerous collaborations especially with jewelry designers based in the nearby city of Providence, Rhode Island the loss of such a prominent local business will likely resonate beyond the immediate impact of the fire. With the cause of the blaze still under investigation, the entire North Attleboro community awaits what future rises from the ashes of a venerated institution.
