LYNN—In its heyday, Anthony’s Hawthorne was the place to be downtown.
Opened by the late Anthony Athanas in 1937, it was once considered the highest grossing restaurant on the North Shore. Patrons recall how waitresses, dressed in ruffled blouses, served surf and turf to politicians, athletes, and the public who lined up for daily specials.
“It used to be such a wonderful place to eat,” said Lynn Fire Department Lt. Israel Gonzalez, head of the Fire Prevention Unit. “I used to go there every Thursday for the haddock, the inside was beautiful and the woodwork was incredible. ”
But the Athanas family closed the restaurant in 2003. Today, the two-story brick building is one of a handful in the city with a giant red X on the outside, telling firefighters to keep out.
“The X is to let firefighters know that the fire operation should be done from the outside of the building only,” said Gonzalez. “If there’s an X, it’s very dangerous for firefighters to go inside because the building and fire departments have walked through and deemed it unsafe.”
Wig Zamore, a spokesman for the Athanas family, declined comment.
In addition to the Hawthorne, the X list includes seven other properties, mostly dilapidated single-family homes. There are also three homes with a half X, indicating the firefighting should be conducted with extreme caution inside the house.
Still, the Xs will not keep firefighters out of the building if someone is believed to be inside. That decision is made on a case-by-case basis by the commanding officer on scene.
“Firefighting is a dangerous job,” Gonzalez said.
The idea to label dilapidated buildings with an X followed the 1999 Worcester Cold Storage Warehouse fire, where six firefighters lost their lives. The deaths raised awareness of the dangers of abandoned buildings and led to increased inspections, stricter adherence to building and fire codes and tighter security around these buildings, according to State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey.
It also led to changes in firefighting practices in these types of fires, such as deciding whether to place firefighters inside the building, or a defensive strategy by setting up fighting the fire from the outside.
“Based on the Worcester tragedy, we identified a universal system that was adopted as a state code so there’s consistency to keep first responders safe,” he said.
Ostroskey said neighbors of these properties must be vigilant in letting authorities know what’s happening.
“That will save firefighters from injuries and deaths and better protect neighboring properties,” he said.