New Bedford North End Kitchen Fire Displaces Seven Residents

NEW BEDFORD (WBSM) — Seven people were displaced by a fire Saturday in an apartment in New Bedford’s Near North End.

The New Bedford Fire Department responded at 5:25 p.m. for a reported structure fire at 23 Beetle Street and arrived to find a kitchen fire in the apartment on the north side of the building’s third floor.

According to a department Facebook post, the three-story wood structure had six apartments, and “tenants were alerted to the fire by a properly functioning fire alarm system.”

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Fire crews were able to contain the fire to just the kitchen area of that particular apartment, and there were no injuries to firefighters or residents.

“The cause of the fire was investigated by the NBFD Fire Investigation Unit and determined to be accidental, involving a cooking incident,” the department wrote in the post.

Four adults and three children who lived in the apartment were displaced by the fire and are being assisted by the American Red Cross. The tenants of the other apartments were able to return to their homes following the fire.

The fire department said that one tenant was arrested at the scene; WBSM has reached out to New Bedford Police to find out the reason behind their arrest and will update this story when that information becomes available.

The fire department also pointed out what happens when drivers park their car in front of a hydrant and a fire occurs.

“The crew of Engine 9 overcame an ‘obstruction’ in front of the closest hydrant and were able to secure a water supply,” the department wrote, posting a photo of the hose going through the vehicle’s windows after firefighters had to break them.