Probers to pinpoint city fire cause
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An apartment building at 44 Forest St. in Rutland is vacant Sunday after a fire that began on Saturday and destroyed the building. Wind-driven flames (below) raced through the building leaving four families homeless. CASSANDRA HOTALING / RUTLAND HERALD |
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By Josh O'Gorman Herald Staff - Published: January 5, 2009
Local officials are waiting for state investigators to determine what caused a Forest Street blaze Saturday that left four families homeless.
Shortly before 4 p.m., Rutland City Fire received the call that the two-story four-unit apartment building at 44 Forest St. was burning, and police and fire blocked off a three-block section of the street and evacuated homes on both sides of the burning building.
CVPS temporarily turned off electricity on the street so firefighters could use ladder trucks to pour water on the roof of the building, which still smoldered and burned intermittently more than four hours after the initial call.
Rutland City Fire Department received aid from Rutland Town and West Rutland fire departments, but by 11 p.m., most firefighters had left the scene and by 10 a.m. Sunday, the fire was completely out and all firefighters had gone home, said Rutland City Deputy Fire Chief Frank Cioffi.
Cioffi said his department is waiting for State Police investigators to arrive today to inspect the building and determine where the fire started and why. Cioffi said based on preliminary witness interviews, it appears the fire started in the front first-floor apartment on the right side of the building.
Nobody was injured in the fire, but Cioffi described the building as "severely damaged" and said part of the second floor caved in. It also appears there are numerous holes in the roof.
While firefighters dealt with the blaze, Red Cross workers helped residents displaced by the blaze. George Sykes, emergency services director for the Central Vermont/New Hampshire Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross, said Red Cross volunteers met with a family of five and a single individual Saturday night and put them up at a local motel.
The other two apartments were occupied by a family — Sykes was not sure how many people are in the family, but said they have children — and an individual, all of whom found their own accommodations Saturday night. Sykes said Red Cross workers would meet with them today to learn what assistance they might need.
In the immediate future, the Red Cross will help those displaced by the fire to find new apartments, including helping them with first month's rent and deposit if necessary and putting them in touch with appropriate agencies.
"If they were in section eight housing before, we want to make sure they get section eight housing again," Sykes said. "We guide them through the process. Most likely, they haven't done this before but we have."
Sykes said Red Cross resources have been stretched thin since the start of December, as fires have occurred in Rutland, Brandon, White River Junction, Braintree, Plainfield, Montpelier, Lebanon, N.H., and West Lebanon, N.H.
"The good news is we're there to help. The bad news is this is our 10th fire in five weeks. We're helping 40 families right now."
Cioffi agreed there are more fires this time of year.
"We're in the peak season right now and people need to be fire conscious," he said. "With the cold weather, furnaces and electrical systems are being pushed to the max."
To learn how to make a contribution to the Red Cross, call 773-9159 or visit www.redcross.org.
Contact Josh O'Gorman at josh.ogorman@rutlandherald.com.