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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 11, 2022 Page 5 Teen charged with setting Norman Street fire M By Christopher Roberson ichael Mambrino, 18, of Brookline, was arrested on February 8 in connection with starting the two-alarm fire that gutted a vacant warehouse at 69 Norman St. during the late evening hours of January 23. According to the Everett Police Department, Mambrino is charged with one count of burning a building and one count of causing injury to a firefighter. The arrest was made based on an examination of the scene, witness statements, surveillance footage and physical evidence. Under state law, Mambrino, if convicted, could face up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000. Mambrino, who is being held without bail, is also charged with starting a fire at a vacant home in Brookline on January 25. The Everett warehouse had been empty for the past year and a half and was slated for demolition to make way for Artemas, a 398-unit apartment building. In June 2021, the property was purchased for $18 million by Lennar Mulfore, National Grid temporarily shut off power to the surrounding area. A two-alarm fire engulfed an abandoned warehouse at 69 Norman St. during the late evening hours of January 23. Michael Mambrino, 18, of Brookline, has been charged with starting the blaze. (Photo Courtesy of the Everett Fire Department) tifamily Communities, a property management company in Charlotte, North Carolina. “If anybody was in the building, there’s nothing that could’ve been done. The building was fully involved,” said Deputy Fire Chief Lawrence Cardinale following the blaze. “It had a lot of void spaces. It was very difficult to get the water on certain parts of the building. It was just an old, very old building and it had MBTA Accessibility Department launches communication survey T he MBTA recently announced that its System-wide Accessibility Department (SWA) launched an online survey about how the MBTA can improve its communication efforts, including communicating more effectively and inclusively and better connecting with people with disabilities and/or older adults. The online survey serves as just one step in the T’s continued work to improve the inclusivity of its communication and outreach strategies – with SWA staff having previously connected with local community and advocacy groups, requesting these groups to encourage their members to take the survey. This online survey is available through February 16 at mbta. com/SWA-survey. “The MBTA has made great progress in working toward a fully accessible service, from upgrading stations to operator trainings to the design and procurement of new vehicles – but we know there’s always more we can be doing,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “The results of this survey will help us to better understand how we can betthe big timber which probably had a lot of either, like, oil or other type of substance that was just embedded in all the wood.” A state HAZMAT team was called in as fire crews were concerned about burning chemicals. Firefighters also saw that flames had spread to a neighboring parking garage and a telephone pole, causing a transformer to explode. Thereter communicate with riders about important accessibility and T-related topics.” The MBTA is more accessible than ever before. Over the last several years, the T has upgraded more than 20 stations to make them fully accessible, constructed more than 50 new station elevators, purchased new buses with ramps and reconfigured seating layout with more space, designed and purchased its most accessible subway cars yet, retrained operators and station agents on safety and accessibility, partnered with a new customer advisory committee to involve riders in key decisions, and more. Despite these achievements, the MBTA recognizes that there is still more work to do, especially in sharing information inclusively and engaging with as many riders (or future riders) with disabilities and/or older adults to shape important decisions about the future of accessibility at the T. With this in mind, SWA designed this online survey to help supplement feedback from riders and future riders about the kinds of communiMBTA | SEE PAGE 15 WE CAN HELP PAY YOUR HEATING BILLS! You may qualify for ABCD’s Fuel Assistance Program and be eligible for as much as $1,650 towards your heating costs (oil, gas, or electric). Maximum benefit is $1,650 Household of 1 = $40,951 Household of 2 = $53,551 Household of 3 = $66,151 Household of 4 = $78,751 Cold days are coming. ABCD’s got you covered. APPLY TODAY! Last day to apply is April 30, 2022 Residents of Boston, Brookline, and Newton: 178 Tremont Street, Boston, MA — 617.357.6012 Residents of Malden, Medford, Everett, Melrose, Stoneham, Winchester and Woburn: 18 Dartmouth Street, Malden, MA — 781.322.6284

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