Maldden alld a Vol. 31, No. 2 den AADD -FREEBy Steve Freker A fast-moving, three-alarm fi re ripped through the upper fl oor residential portion of a mixed-use building in the heart of Oak Grove Square late Monday afternoon, causing heavy damage to the structure. The only positive news to report on the day was no one was injured as a result of the blaze, neither residents nor employees of the street-level business nor firefi ghters battling the fi re. According to reports, 12 residents of fi ve of the six apartments located in the top two fl oors of the building were displaced as a result of the blaze, with one of the units believed to be vacant at the time of the fi re. Apparently, about half of those residents were home on Monday, but were evacuated quickly without incident as fi refi ghters began to arrive. The building includes six apartment units in the two fl oors above the street-levA household word in Malden for 30 years! CTE CAT AT www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday 617-387-2200 E Friday, January 14, 2022 Three-alarm fire rips through multi-use building in Oak Grove Square Monday’s late afternoon blaze causes heavy damage; frigid weather conditions a challenge for Malden Fire; fortunately, no one reported hurt el business, Oak Grove Laundry Center, which has an exceptionally large, well-known sign above its entrance. The building is located at the major Malden intersection of Grove, Glenwood, Washington and Winter Streets directly across the street from the Malden Oak Grove MBTA Station, which is the last stop on the northern end of the Orange Line. The cause of the fi re was still under investigation by the Malden Fire Investigation Unit and State Fire Marshal’s Offi ce at The Advocate’s press deadline. According to reports, the Malden fi refi ghters responded to a three alarm fi re at 1 Grove St. which housed several apartments and a laundry mat on Monday evening. It was unknown if any injuries were reported or how many were displaced. (Advocate photo by Michael Layhe) fire began in the rear of the three-story building at 1 Grove St., at about 5:00 p.m. Malden Fire Chief William Sullivan said the fi re quickly spread to the attic, resulting in a second alarm being called shortly after fi refi ghters from the Central, West FIRE | SEE PAGE 8 Malden High School House Principal Charles settles in at new position A native of Haiti, MHS administrator impressed with students’ access to advanced educational opportunities By Carlos Aragon M alden High School’s newest addition to the administrative team is Ewald Charles, who began working in his new position over this past summer and has been serving as Brunelli House Principal since the start of the school year in September. Charles grew up in Haiti, but he came to the United States at the age of 18. From there, he attended public high school in Brooklyn, N.Y., and then moved on to Alfred University in Alfred, N.Y. Just fi ve years after his arrival in the United States, he then made a major move when he transferred into Columbia University, of the prestigious Ivy League. After Columbia, he moved on to medical school, although shortly after that, Charles said, he decided to go into teaching and earned his Master’s in Education from Framingham State University. He began his career teaching physics and biology at a high school in Church Point, Louisiana. Charles was not always planning on being a teacher. However, during his college years, one of his teachers got him interested in teaching Biology. He then began working in Brooklyn with “inner city kids, whom people often marginalize and don’t think are successful.” He taught one girl named Amanda who he is “never going to forget”; she passed the High School Regent Exam (the New York equivalent of the MCAS) at the age of 10 with an 86. Being able to work with her made him feel as PRINCIPAL| SEE PAGE 4 Ewald Charles, a Haitian immigrant who arrived in the United States at the age of 18 and went on to earn an Ivy League degree at Columbia University, is in the midst of his fi rst year as one of four House Principals at Malden High School. (Courtesy Photo/Blue and Gold/Carlos Aragon)
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