FIRE THAT DESTROYED WOONSOCKET, RI HOME CONSIDERED ARSON
January 23, 2015
WOONSOCKET, R.I. (WPRI) — A fire that ravaged a Woonsocket
home on Monday is believed to have been the result of arson, Captain Michael
Morin confirmed on Friday.
Flames completely destroyed the six-family tenement on Wood
Avenue and it took crews 12 hours to fully extinguish.
The state fire marshal’s office is offering a $5,000 reward
to anyone who can provide information on the suspect who started the fire.
The fire is believed to have been started around 7 am in the
rear of the three-story building.
Amid the flames firefighters managed to rescue a cat from
one of the apartments. The cat’s owner says they tried to find him before thick
smoke forced them to flee the building. The family was relieved to see that
their pet was saved. Nilar, an orange cat that was covered in black soot,
received oxygen at the scene from a specialized animal oxygen mask.
The Red Cross is working to raise funds and provide
temporary shelter for the 13 displaced tenants.
The home was torn down Monday night after it posed safety
concerns.
