Home»Fire Incidents»2010 Incidents»3rd Alarm Burrillville, RI 176 Harrisville Main Street January 05, 2010

Burrillville, RI (Harrisville) – Smoke alarms alerted occupants in the historic 1840s Stillwater House at 176 Main Street around 1700hrs on January 5, 2010. The structure initially was a tavern that eventually became a boarding house. It became a community center and dance hall when the Stillwater Company purchased it in 1919. The House has now been rehabilitated into several apartments. All of the Burrillville stations were toned out to respond as phone calls reported smoke in the building with a possibility of a person trapped in the basement. Engine 21 arrived to find heavy smoke showing from a large “L” shaped 3 story wood frame occupancy. Firefighters stretched hand lines through a side 1 basement doorway finding heavy fire conditions. Command requested a second alarm due to the possibility of a missing child who was last seen in the basement area playing. The child was later located safely outside with the 2 other children that he was playing with. Tower 4 set their tower ladder up to the roof on side 4 and readied to open the roof if needed. Jakes from Stations 1, 3, 4 assisted in fire suppression, venting, and overhaul operations. Command requested a third alarm for manpower to help check for extension due to the size of the building. Chepachet, Glocester, Uxbridge, MA, and Douglas, MA sent apparatus to the scene. Fire was found traveling an interior first floor hallway partition and was quickly knocked down. The cause and origin is being investigated by local and state fire marshals. There were no serious injuries reported and one person needed medical attention for smoke inhalation. The Red Cross was on scene assisting roughly 12 occupants.