Woonsocket Fire Department Battles Mendon Road Building Blaze

Update (7 a.m.): The neighborhood along Morin Street woke up and took stock of the overnight fire at 385 Mendon Road, the intended site of an optometrist's office under renovation by Nationwide Construction.

At about 6:45 a.m., Lyn Vartanian was driving by to take a look at what had caused the burning smell she said woke her up. "I thought I smelled smoke this morning," she said.

A few moments later, Tim Dubeau, who works for Interior Creations, a subcontractor on the site, showed up with some co-workers, already braced for the scene by the morning news. "I didn't want the day off this way," he said.

His crew was scheduled to put in bathroom tile today, but, "That's not going to happen," he said.

According to the Woonsocket Deputy Fire Chief's office, the call for the fire came in at 12:45 a.m., for a fire with flames showing through the roof of the building. A second alarm was called right away.

Squad four, Engines 1, 2 and 3, Ladder 1 and 2, and Rescures 1 and 2 responded to the address. By the time the fire was put out around 4 a.m., there was extensive damage to the roof and both floors of the building. 

Both the city and state Fire Marshals are investigating the fire.

5 a.m.: WPRI reports an early-morning fire at 385 Mendon Road that began at about 1 a.m. this morning was put out by the Woonsocket Fire Department by about 4:30 a.m.

The news channel reports the medical office building was under construction, and no one was present at the time of the fire.