Firefighters Battle Brush Fire Sunday

Barrington firefighters battled a smoky brush fire deep in the woods west of Prince’s Hill Avenue late Sunday afternoon that threatened four homes on that street. 

The brush was so thick and dense, said Barrington Fire Lt. Jason Fanion, the incident commander, that firefighters had difficulty pinpointing the exact location for a while. 

“We couldn’t even get in there,” he said.

Attempts to find the fire were made from Prince’s Hill Avenue, Foote Street and the nearby sewer pumping station. 

When the fire was finally located, he said, “Our priority was to keep it away from the homes.”

The wind was blowing in the direction of the homes, he said. Fanion estimated that the fire came within 50 yards of the properties.

Firefighters eventually drove Engine 1 into the back yard of a home at 75 Prince’s Hill Ave. to fight the fire. A Warren Fire Department truck shuttled water back and forth to the engine because it had no access to a hydrant.

Not far away at 37 Prince’s Hill Ave., a ladder truck was driven into the yard as well. It had access to a hydrant and poured water into the woods from the air. 

Firefighters also ran about 100 feet of forest-fire lines from the Department of Environmental Management on the other sides of the 80x300 foot area of woods burned by the blaze, he said. 

“We were on the scene for about two and a half hours,” Fanion said. 

Approximately 16 firefighters from Barrington and Warren were on the scene. East Providence firefighters staffed the fire station during the blaze.

Cause of the fire is still under investigation, said Fanion.

“There is a walking trail through there,” Fanion said, speculating that a cigarette may have been tossed carelessly.

Fanion said the brush fire was not typical because of the thickness of the brush and woods and the “sense of urgency because of its proximity to the homes.”

There were no serious injuries, he said, but many firefighters were scratched, cut or bruised while attempting to hack their way through the brush.