Less than a week after a New Hampshire man died in a fiery crash at the Bedford toll booth, three more people are in the hospital after a head-on collision at the very same plaza.
The lawmakers who have been pushing to remove these toll booths for …
Massachusetts
Fire rages at home in Dedham
Crews battled a fire Wednesday afternoon in Dedham, Massachusetts.
Footage from Elmview Place showed flames shooting from the roof of a house.
Authorities did not immediately share any information.
Stay with NBC10 Boston as this story develops.
Unearthed home remnants belonged to one of colonial New England’s first Black property owners
An incredible piece of history was recently discovered in the backyard of a Saugus, Massachusetts, resident, and the researchers who unearthed the finding are sharing its story just in time for the Juneteenth holiday.
Researchers from the University of New Hampshire and Northeastern University teamed up and found the remnants of a home that once belonged to one of the first Black property owners in colonial New England.
The man who once owned the home was Pompey Mansfield, but he was better known as King Pompey — an honor bestowed upon him by the Black community of that age.
The remnants of his home’s foundation was found near the banks of the Saugus River.
“Everything lined up with the deeds, everything lined up with the description,” professor of anthropology at UNH Meghan Howey said. “And that foundation was there. And I thought, there’s more under that foundation.”
The foundation painted a vibrant picture of who King Pompey was for both Howey and Kabria Baumgartner, professor of history and Africana studies at Northeastern.
“This was built with pebbles up and down the Saugus from the banks of the river, up a pretty steep cliff, one by one, bringing these rocks up or basket loads up,” Howey said. “It really struck me as this was by somebody with such self-determination to have a home.”
Baumgartner believes that Pompey was originally from West Africa, and was enslaved by a mill owner in Lynn. She said that it seems he was able to somehow self-emancipate, and then buy property in present-day Saugus in 1762.
What’s left of his home is what this pair was able to dig up, after intense research to narrow in on a location.
“I don’t know how much help he may have had, but it tells me something about him that he was determined,” Baumgartner said. “And that’s not something I can necessarily see in written records, but I can see it through archeology.”
That home, and perhaps that determination, could have helped Pompey to become King Pompey, Baumgartner said.
She explained that in those days, the Black community would elect their own kings and queens on election days, which were special occasions marked with singing and dancing. Pompey was elected king annually in his area, and hosted the Black Election Day festivities at his home.
“It was this moment of collective joy, of collective happiness amid this sort of terrible oppression,” Baumgartner said. “And I think that’s also important to remember when we’re thinking about, early black history, that it is tragic, it is sad there was suffering. But there are also these moments, fleeting moments of joy.”
The research was funded by the New England Humanities Consortium and Northeastern. The goal is to work with the National Park Service to establish a historical marker, and do more outreach to spread knowledge about Black Election Day.
Worker overcome by heat exhaustion while working on roof of Roslindale home
A man who was installing solar panels on the roof of a Boston home had to be rescued by firefighters when he was overcome by heat exhaustion on Wednesday.
Boston fire said the man was conscious when they arrived at the home on Delore Circle in Roslindale and able to communicate, but very weak.
Neighbors watched as other employees tried to cool the man down. He was on the roof of the home when he collapsed.
“They were standing around him, he was laying on the roof on his back and he was shaking, like shivering. His legs were shaking, his hands were shaking,” explained neighbor Thora Williams.
Another employee told NBC10 Boston that the man was drinking energy drinks Wednesday morning, which could have contributed to dehydration.
Eventually the other workers decided to call for help. Firefighters initially tried to bring him down on a stretcher but eventually used a ladder truck with a bucket attachment to bring him down safely.
Temperatures are hovering above 90 for several days in much of New England, and paired with heat indices around 100, the weather is hazardous to health.
Signs of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, Weakness or tiredness, cool, pale, clammy skin; fast, weak pulse, muscle cramps, dizziness, nausea or vomiting, headache, or fainting, according to the National Weather Service. If you experience any of these, make an effort to cool down. If symptoms do not improve, seek medical attention.
Signs of heat stroke, which is more serious than heat exhaustion, include throbbing headache, confusion, nausea, dizziness, body temperature above 103°F, hot, red, dry or damp skin, rapid and strong pulse, fainting, or loss of consciousness. If you or someone you are with shows signs of heat stroke, this is a true emergency – call 911 or seek a hospital immediately.
Boston Celtics return to Massachusetts from Miami
The Boston Celtics are back in the Bay State after a celebratory trip to Miami after winning the 2024 NBA Championship.
The plane touched down at Hanscom Airport in Bedford Wednesday afternoon and the team – along with The Larry O’Brien Championship Trophy seen in the arms of coach Joe Mazzulla – will be making their way back to Boston.
The team spent just one day in Miami and will celebrate Banner 18 with a rolling rally through the streets of Boston on Friday.
This is a breaking story. NBC10 Boston has a crew on scene and will provide updates as they come into the newsroom.
Alleged shoplifter attacks security guards at Downtown Crossing Macy’s, police say
One person was taken to the hospital after an alleged shoplifter attacked two security guards at the Macy’s in Boston’s Downtown Crossing on Wednesday, according to police.
It happened around 1:20 p.m. at the store on Washington Street. Police said the alleged shoplifter was being held by security when they attacked two guards, slashing them.
One person was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
More information was not immediately available.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
