Route 139 Reopens After Lightning Fire
Abington, MA · November 7, 2026
Rain is tapping the pavement early today. Keep the wet-weather gear handy before heading out into the gray.
The Lead
Route 139 is flowing normally again this morning after an extraordinary lightning strike triggered a three-alarm house fire on Randolph Street early Friday. Around 5:00 AM during a fast-moving thunderstorm, a lightning bolt struck a 60-foot backyard pine tree. The electrical surge carved a physical trench underground directly to the home's electrical panel, sparking heavy fire that tore through the garage and attached breezeway.
All four residents evacuated safely before emergency crews arrived. Abington firefighters, joined by mutual aid companies from Brockton, Rockland, Weymouth, and Holbrook, battled the blaze and contained structural damage primarily to the garage. The blast also disrupted electrical service to two neighboring properties. Police shut down Route 139 between Chestnut and Lincoln streets for several hours during operations. Town electrical inspectors and fire investigators are completing on-site assessments this weekend.
Local Pulse
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Select Board Meets Monday Evening City Hall Town officials gather at Town Hall on November 9 to discuss ongoing municipal updates and capital planning.
Today's Outlook
- High 63°F · Low 52°F — Rain (96% chance of precipitation)
- Keep a sturdy umbrella in the car and expect wet roads all day long.
What's On Around Town
Today
- Family Story Hour Abington Public Library (600 Gliniewicz Way), 11:00–11:30 AM · Free Stories, cheerful songs, and scarf games inside the Anderson Story Room.
Tomorrow
- Veterans Heritage Tour & Exhibits Dyer Memorial Library & Archives (28 Center Ave), 1:00–4:00 PM · Free
Monday
- Board of Health Public Meeting Town Hall (500 Gliniewicz Way), 5:00 PM · Free
- Abington Select Board Meeting Town Hall (500 Gliniewicz Way), 6:00 PM · Free
Spotlight & Story
- Rob Goodale Behind the reference desk at Abington Public Library, Goodale guides residents through thorny local research inquiries and manages public technology access. Longtime patrons know to ask him directly when tracking down obscure South Shore land records or navigating newly digitized local historical collections.
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