Firefighters Forced From Third Floor While Battling Dulude Ave. Blaze

Update: Turnto10.com reports police have identified the victim in last night's Dulude Avenue fire as James Ferrio, 48.

Intense heat on the top floor of the fire-engulfed triple decker at 40 Dulude Ave. early Aug. 21 forced Woonsocket firefighters to abandon efforts to reach one person later discovered dead in the building. 

Deputy Fire Chief Roger Perreault said his crew was alerted to the fire by several reports this morning at about 12:50 a.m. The triple decker, wood-framed house had porches on the right hand side, he said. When firefighters arrived, "Those porches were totally engulfed in flame," Perreault said. The porches were also the exit for the third floor, he said.

Firefighters accounted for everyone on the first and second floors, Perreault said, and were alerted to a single unaccounted for person, whom they suspected was on the third floor. Firefighters attempted to enter the building and access the third floor from the front, he said, but the fire there was so intense, Perreault had to order the firefighters out of that level, and shortly after had to order them out of the building altogether as it threatened to collapse. 

Perreault said it was unlikely that the person left on the third floor had survived by the time firefighters had reached that level. He said if the fire was too intense for firefighters in protective gear, "Then unfortunately if there's that much heat in there, somebody unprotected is not going to survive at all."

Later, after aiming water from Ladders 1 and 2 at the home, firefighters were able to enter the third floor again and discovered a single person dead there. 

The identity and gender of the person have not yet been released. Perreault said the RI Fire Marshal and Medical Examiner have been on the scene, and a statement on the fire and death is expected from the Fire Marshal later today. 

Turnto10.com reports the tenant is a man, and about 13 adults and four children were displaced and are being aided by the Red Cross.