FRAMINGHAM — The cause of a fire that occurred early Saturday in a six-story apartment building is not known but is believed to be accidental, a fire official said Monday.
Six residents were transported to area hospitals after suffering from smoke inhalation from the 3:30 a.m. fire on Saturday at the Venetian Towers Apartments, 72 Nicholas Road, according to Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Sullivan.
Firefighters responded to the complex after an alarm sounded. Due to the size of the building — 60 units — and the time of day, firefighters immediately called for a second alarm.
Sullivan said the building was evacuated, but firefighters had to rescue several people — including the resident in the first-floor apartment were the blaze started — due to the amount of smoke.
Six residents of the Venetian Towers Apartments, on Nicholas Road in Framingham, were transported to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation after a fire early Saturday morning.
“Our first arriving crews did a phenomenal job of making this a quick knockdown,” Sullivan said. “It had potential to spread and turn into a significant incident.”
The early morning’s below-freezing temperatures made fighting the fire more difficult. There was a lot of ice present and, due to the cold, fire crews had to be rotated in and out of fighting the fire, Sullivan said. Firefighters also had to worry about residents who were evacuated from their beds.
“The building management was great in opening another building so that the residents had a place to go,” Sullivan said.
Firefighters ventilate building to allow residents to return
The fire was contained to just the single first-floor unit, but firefighters worked to ventilate the building to allow residents back in, which they were able to do later Saturday morning.
One resident was displaced — the resident who lived in the apartment unit where the fire started, according to Sullivan.
Firefighters were assisted at the scene by the Framingham Police Department and the Department of Public Works, the Massachusetts State Police, American Red Cross and Brewster Ambulance. The Ashland, Natick, Southborough, Sudbury and Wayland fire departments provided station coverage.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, Sullivan said.
