Early-Morning Fire Damages Bay Spring Home

A fire caused by an overheated boiler chased a Barrington family from its Bay Spring home into 5 degree temperatures early Wednesday morning, Jan. 8.

No one was injured. But the house “is not livable,” said Barrington Fire Lt. Scott Carroll. The family is living with family members or friends.

Barrington and East Providence firefighters responded to the fire at 37 Blanding Ave. around 2:30 am, said Carroll. Heat from the overheating boiler in a crawl space under the first floor of the small Cape-style home spread to the wooden subfloor and floor joists, he said.

Firefighters were hampered by two nearby fire hydrants freezing up.

“We couldn’t get them open,” said Carroll. “Fortunately, we had enough water in the tank on the engine truck.”

Approximately 10 firefighters were on the scene for a couple of hours, Carroll said. The fire was extinguished within 30 minutes.

“We had to cut a hole in the living room floor to get into the crawl space,” he said.

Family members called in the report of a fire after smelling an odor coming from the boiler and crawl space, Carroll said. Damage from the blaze was limited primarily to the heating system and living room.

“All of the main joists will have to be replaced,” Carroll said. 

Barrington Engine #1 and a rescue vehicle and a ladder and engine companies from East Providence responded.