Afternoon Fire Displaces One Tenant in New Bedford
NEW BEDFORD - No injuries were reported after a fire in an apartment building near downtown New Bedford Thursday afternoon.
The fire was reported at around 12:15 p.m. at 193 Elm Street, just behind the County Street McDonald's.
District Fire Chief Scott Kruger tells WBSM News the fire was confined to a first floor apartment in the 24-apartment building.
"We weren't sure where the tenant was for that apartment so we did a simultaneous fire attack and also a search by Ladder 3," said Kruger.
Kruger says the fire was quickly extinguished, but made the apartment uninhabitable.
"Significant damage to that one apartment. We were able to ventilate smoke out of the rest of the building. The apartment above it didn't sustain any damage. Fortunately, it's not vinyl siding. It's brick. So, there's less chance of it (the fire) extending upwards to other parts of the building."
All 24 apartments in the building were evacuated after the fire was reported. District Chief Kruger says there were no injuries to residents or first responders. The cause of the fire is under investigation.