Providence Journal video by Kathy Borchers
By Tatiana Pina and Maria Armental
Journal Staff Writers
WOONSOCKET, R.I. -- Malinda Brown arrived at her parents apartment building Thursday night to find a chaotic scene: people on the streets, their homes on fire, and firefighters battling to extinguish the blaze.
Her parents, Ray and Marie, had exited safely their first-floor apartment and will be staying with her at her North Providence home.
Fire Capt. David Souza said
the fire broke around 9:30 Thursday night, triggering a "box alarm," an automatic notification to the fire department. By the time firefighters arrived at the 18-unit apartment complex at 272 Front St., Souza said, flames were jutting out of the first floor and extended to the second and third floors.
No injuries were reported, he said. Friday morning, some of the residents were allowed back in the building to retrieve belongings.
The fire remains under investigation along with a fire at another three-story apartment building on Lincoln Street. Information on that fire was not immediately available Friday.
-- The original version of this report was published at 7:21 a.m.
The Providence Journal/Tatiana Pina