MARCH 11, 2015
WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI)
Investigators are looking into what caused a massive
fire that tore through one of the buildings at a Warwick condo complex.
Crews were called to Westgate Condominiums on Quaker Lane
around 10:30 Wednesday morning.
Around the same time, photos and video started coming into
the Eyewitness Newsroom via ReportIt showing flames and thick smoke pouring
from one of the buildings. When all was said and done, more than three dozen
units were destroyed.
Smoke could be seen as far away as Providence and flames
were visible from about a 1/2 mile away.
Nearly 100 residents were inside the 38-unit building when
the fire broke out. All of them escaped safely.
“My neighbors came and banged on the door and said ‘get out,
the building’s on fire.’ So I ran out and saw the flames coming out of the
third floor in one of the units,” said fire victim Susan Gaipo. “Huge flames
and it spread fast.”
Warwick Fire Chief Edmund Armstrong said the fire started on
the third floor of the building.
Crews initially ran into the building to attack the flames,
but quickly ran back out when they encountered some problems.
“We had one ladder truck go down and an engine company go
down,” Armstrong said, adding there were also water pressure issues. “Those
seconds – seconds without water – mean quite a bit to us. It means we could
possibly lose a building.”
Eyewitness News cameras rolled as firefighters ran from
hydrant to hydrant trying to find pressure.
“At one point, we did go to the next neighborhood over to
bring water in. We went to Quaker Lane to bring water in and we have tankers
from other cities and towns,” Armstrong said.
In order for firefighters to access the water, police shut
down parts of Quaker Lane so crews could run lines.
Source:www.wpri.com