The Fire Department responded to the Bostonian Loft Apartments, at 7 Marble St., about 10:20 p.m. after receiving a sprinkler water flow alarm for a first-floor apartment.
Firefighters learned there was a grease fire on the stove inside an apartment and quickly extinguished the flames after arriving on scene.
Fire Chief Timothy Grenno said investigators later learned that a resident of the apartment had attempted to extinguish the grease fire with water, which caused the fire to “rapidly intensify” and extend to the kitchen cabinets.
That caused the sprinkler system inside the kitchen to activate, which helped keep the fire from spreading before firefighters arrived.
Firefighters used smoke ejectors to clear heavy smoke from the building and residents were allowed to return to their apartments about 11:30 p.m.
The family living in the apartment – a husband, wife and their two children – were displaced due to the fire, as well as water and smoke damage inside the apartment. The fire is estimated to have caused about $30,000 worth of damage, Grenno said.
No one was injured as a result of the fire and the Red Cross responded to assist the displaced family.
Hanson firefighters provided mutual aid by covering the station in town during the incident.
Grenno said it is important to never use water to attempt to extinguish a grease fire. The reaction causes the fire to intensify and spread faster, he said. Grease fires should be covered with a metal lid or smothered with baking soda or salt, Grenno said.
The fire chief also said that several of the building’s residents did not immediately evacuate when the alarms were sounding and said people should always leave a building when alarms sound.
“Thankfully the sprinkler system activated and was able to contain the fire to the kitchen area,” Grenno said. “I want to commend our firefighters for quickly putting out the flames. This is a very large building with several apartments and we were able to successfully contain it to the one unit.”
