Fire Chief Remembered...By: DANIEL E. GOREN

August 23, 2000 Fire chief remembered             Photo caption: Charles Donovan, Somerville's Fire Chief from 1979-1985. Photo credit: COURTESY PHOTO By DANIEL E. GOREN JOURNAL STAFF One of Somerville's largest chemical spills occurred under his watch and was contained with the help of his leadership. Now Charles J. Donovan, who passed away Aug. 15, is being remembered. Donovan was Somerville's Fire Chief from 1979 to 1985 and oversaw the containment of a phosphorus trichloride spill at the rail yards by North Station on April 3, 1980, according to William Fitzgerald, who was Deputy Administrator while Donovan was Chief.Many who remember the spill also remember how well it was dealt with. "Three months into my time as mayor we had the largest chemical spill in the history of the state, and that is when I first got to know Charlie," said Gene Brune, former mayor of Somerville and currently the registrar of deeds for Middlesex County."Charlie did an extremely good job that day, and I was extremely proud of the entire fire department." Phosphorus trichloride turns to gaseous hydrochloric acid when it mixes with moisture, according to Somerville's Fire Chief Kevin Kelleher."When it started to dump on the ground it started to mix with the ground moisture and turned to gaseous hydrochloric acid.What they ended up doing was digging a hole to contain the acid and neutralize it."Many of the firefighters at the incident received burns from the acid, according to Kelleher.Donovan stayed at the scene for 17 and a half hours. "Charlie was a very compassionate person, and he did his job extremely well," said Brune."I have the utmost respect for Charlie Donovan and he is no doubt one of the best fire chiefs that Somerville ever had." Donovan lived through one of the worst things that he could have lived through as a chief of the fire department, according to Kelleher referring to the chemical spill."He was responsible for the citizens and all the firefighters that were there, he had an awesome responsibility for the outcome of the incident." The spill was very dangerous for the firefighters and the surrounding community, according to Fitzgerald. "Especially when the wind shifted and they had to evacuate a particular area," he said."We had to watch the weather reports for the shift in the wind and his concern was also with the firefighters so that they had the proper breathing apparatus and ample supply of air tanks." Donovan was a member of the fire department for 36 years.He retired as Somerville's Fire Chief in 1985. "He loved the fire department," said his wife, Eileen Donovan."His brother was also in the fire department and I think that was the reason he chose it." His dedication to the fire department was evident during the chemical spill. "We didn't leave the incident from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. the next morning," said Fitzgerald."And then we were at work again the next morning at 8 a.m." The acid spilled from a tank car that had been hit by a locomotive, said Fitzgerald."It had a real pungent odor and was irritating to the eyes and mucus membranes.We had to build dykes, to contain the flow and keep it from flowing into the sewers and nearby drains," he said."It was real dangerous stuff." Many of the buildings in the area had to be evacuated, according to Fitzgerald."We had to get the MBTA buses to transport the elderly to other elderly centers at the other end of the city, away from the [dangerous] area," he said."All these decisions and responsibilities fell on [Donovan]."He handled the situationextremely well, according to Fitzgerald. And his family also remembers the spill. "I know it was very frightening at the time because he would come back home looking like a cherry," said Eileen."They all had to go up to the hospital to get checked out because of the chemicals.Fortunately Charlie was all okay." The firefighters, under Donovan's leadership, knocked down the fumes of 13 thousand gallons of spilled acid. Along with being a good leader, he will also be remembered as a loyal friend and loving family member. "We spent many years together in our personal lives and as firefighters.He was very well respected by all - anyone that worked for him, that was assigned to his company, respected Charlie Donovan," said Fitzgerald."He was a very devoted person, very quiet, and very devoted." Donovan was born and educated in Somerville.He was a shipfitter at the Charlestown Navy Yard, a member of the New England, Massachusetts, and International Fire Chiefs Associations, and a member of the Elks Club, the Knights of Columbus, and the American Legion. He was the son of Margaret and Edward Donovan, both native to Somerville. His father worked in the Boston Market selling cod liver. "My husband didn't like cod's liver for that reason," said Eileen. He was the second youngest of eight children, and leaves behind his brother Alfred. "I can tell you one thing," said Eileen, "he was a wonderful man."

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