Seven taken to hospital after fire in Providence’s Smith Hill in Rhode
Island
PROVIDENCE, R.I. —December 24, 2014.
Seven people were taken to the hospital,
three with smoke inhalation, after a fire ravaged a two-family home at 61 Zone
St. in the Smith Hill section of Providence Tuesday.
Flames were pouring out of the second-floor window when fire
crews first arrived around 11:50 a.m., said Providence Fire Chief Daniel
Crowley.
Firefighters rescued one man who was hanging out of the third
floor window to escape the flames and two more people from windows. Another four
people who were home when the fire started were able to escape out the front
door.
The three people rescued by firefighters were suffering from
“pretty serious” smoke inhalation, Crowley said. The five others were taken to
the hospital as a precaution.
The building did not have a fire escape.
Among those who were able to get out of the house though the
single stairwell were two young children, including a 10-year-old girl who told
reporters at the scene she carried her six-month old brother to safety.
The fire started on the second floor of the three-story
building and the cause was under investigation, but did not appear to be
suspicious, said Fire Department Arson Investigator Paul A. Doughty.
Firefighters had the blaze extinguished before 1 p.m.