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Gov. Baker signs welder bill following Back Bay fire

BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker signed a house bill Wednesday in an effort to make welding safer in the Back Bay.

This comes after a deadly fire in 2014, where two firefighters, Michael Kennedy and Ed Walsh, lost their lives. Welders working without a permit nearby were found to blame for the blaze.

"That day at Beacon Street - it could have been prevented,” said Baker.

The bill will create a special commission studying best practices for welding and hot work.

Under the new law, the commission will be in charge of investigating issues of licensing and permits, along with cost recovery for damages resulting in a failure to follow fire code rules and regulation.

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