WESTBOROUGH – Five residents have been displaced following a Westborough fire believed to be caused by a faulty fireplace.
The Westborough Fire Department and its mutual aid partners responded to a two-alarm house fire at 11 Chauncy Circle at 1:23 a.m. on Dec. 17, according to Chief Patrick Purcell.
Firefighters arrived to find smoke showing from the single-family wood frame home that dates to the 1930s. Residents were awakened by smoke detectors and had been evacuated.
The fire was under control by about 2:10 a.m. Crews cleared the scene at about 4:03 a.m.
There were no reported injuries. One person who was inside the home was evaluated by paramedics at the scene.
The home sustained extensive damage, estimated at $150,000. Five residents were displaced.
An investigation by the Westborough Fire Investigation Unit has preliminarily determined the cause of the fire was a faulty fireplace. The investigation remains active and ongoing.
“A fire in the early morning hours can be especially dangerous. In this case working smoke detectors gave residents critical seconds to leave the house, and prevented what could have been severe injury or even a tragedy,” Purcell said. “We ask residents to regularly check their alarms to make sure they are in good working order.”
The Northborough, Southborough, Hopkinton and Shrewsbury fire departments provided mutual aid at the scene. The Grafton Fire Department covered Westborough Fire Headquarters.
Purcell and the Westborough Fire Department thank their mutual aid partners for their swift and professional response.
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