Fire empties apartments

By Norman Miller / News Staff Writer
Monday, January 12, 2004

ASHLAND -- One woman was injured in a two-alarm mattress fire last night at a Summer Street apartment building that left more than a dozen people without a home.

Firefighters from Ashland, Hopkinton and Southborough extinguished the fire within minutes of the 7:26 p.m. emergency call, firefighter Peter Chisholm said.

The blaze could have been worse if not for a working sprinkler and alarm system, Chisholm said.

"It helps to have this stuff," said Chisholm. "It sure cut down on the damage tonight."

Although the fire did not spread from the second floor room, all 13 units are considered unlivable due to water and smoke damage, Chisholm said.

The American Red Cross was called last night to assist displaced residents.

The firefighters rushed to 37 Summer St. for the report of a fire. They ran a fire line up the stairs and extinguished the blaze.

The woman who lived in the room where the fire started was taken to the MetroWest Medical Center at the Framingham Union campus to be treated for minor injuries.

The rest of the residents got out of the building uninjured, Chisholm said.

"They were fortunate it wasn't midnight or 2 o'clock in the morning," he said.

Chisholm did not have an estimated damage available last night. The name of the building's owner was not known last night.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

(Norman Miller can be reached at 508-626-3823 or at nmiller@cnc.com)