Douglas apartment house residents escape middle-of-night fire

Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, MA)

March 28-- Mar. 28--DOUGLAS -- Residents of a seven-unit building on Depot Street escaped from a three-alarm fire early Wednesday.

Fire Chief Kent F. Vinson credited crews with making "a good stop" after arriving at the blaze, reported about 2:45 a.m.

No one was injured, the chief said.

Damage to the building exceeded $200,000, the chief estimated.

"They won't be tearing this building down," he said in an interview Wednesday morning. "That's a good thing."

Firefighters arrived to heavy fire on the first floor of the three-story building. It was soon determined that occupants -- about 12 residents who are being helped by the American Red Cross -- had gotten out safely, the chief said.

"It's where we say fire detection works," Chief Vinson said. "When people get out and they have a properly maintained fire alarm system or smoke detectors, it saves lives, and that's what happened here this morning."

Three aerial trucks were used to fight the fire, which was under control around 5 a.m.

The fire, which is under investigation by the state fire marshal's office and the Douglas Fire Department, traveled some distance through the balloon-framed construction.

"It's 2 in the morning, and it's dark," the chief said of challenges firefighters faced. "Our water system was working (well). We had a good turnout of firefighters. Mutual aid was remarkable. And we had a number of chiefs here helping us" respond to the complicated, cut-up and old building.

"It's the type of building where people can get hurt -- firefighters can get hurt -- but we managed to keep that from happening," Chief Vinson said. "The end result is everyone's safe -- civilians and firefighters. That's what it's all about."

Northbridge, Uxbridge, Mendon, Sutton, Webster, Dudley, Millville, and Burrillville, Rhode Island, provided mutual aid. Leicester sent an air and light truck. Upton covered the station and brought and ambulance. Webster covered the scene with an ambulance. And firefighters were grateful for Grafton bringing a canteen truck food, the chief said.