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by LEANNA FAULK, NBC 10 NEWS
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SEEKONK, Mass. (WJAR) — A Seekonk home was reduced to rubble Monday afternoon after a fast-moving fire tore through the building and left firefighters scrambling for water.
Thick black smoke poured from the house on Emily Way just before 2 p.m., prompting nearly a dozen 911 calls from neighbors.
“It can happen anywhere, at any time,” said Sam Crisafulli, who lives around the corner. “It’s really scary to know that something like this could happen.”
Fire Chief Shaun Whalen said the home was already collapsing by the time crews arrived.
“The volume of fire was significant,” Whalen told NBC 10. “First arriving companies did find heavy fire here.”
Flames ripped through both floors of the home. Smoke was visible as far away as East Providence.
The family who lives there was out of the country when the fire broke out. Two dogs were reportedly inside at the time and are still unaccounted for.
The neighborhood is outside Seekonk’s fire district and does not have access to public hydrants.
“Correct, we are outside the water district for our community,” Whalen said.
At one point, dispatchers asked about the closest hydrant. It was ultimately located at Read Street and Prospect Street—about a mile away from the fire.
Whalen said dry hoses and wind made things worse. Tankers from six surrounding communities were called in, and the town even considered pulling water from the Seekonk Swimming and Tennis Club behind the property.
“But because of the location of the fire and resources needed to access that pool area, we didn’t go ahead and do that,” Whalen said.
Crisafulli, who moved to the neighborhood just a few months ago, said he’s now thinking about what more he can do to protect his own home.
“It’s definitely something to think about in the future, making sure that we’re going to be safe if something was to happen,” he said. “Make sure we’ve got fire extinguishers, or maybe there’s some sort of system we think about putting in the house to make sure we’re protected.”
“It really does put into perspective,” he added. “You just never know when it’s going to happen. You should always be prepared.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office.
NBC 10's Temi-Tope Adeleye contributed to this report.
