Community Corner

Stoughton FD Extinguishes Fire at Porter Street Apartment Building

The Stoughton Fire Department put out a fire in a first floor unit of an apartment building on Porter St. Sunday evening, but despite minimal damage, a faulty alarm system prevented tenants from returning.

Stoughton Firefighters put out a closet fire in the first floor unit of an apartment building on Porter Street Sunday evening.

But while there were no injuries and damage was minimal, the tenants from the three-story structure were not able to return to the building Sunday night because of a problem with the alarm system, which did not operate during the fire, Stoughton Fire Captain Doug Campbell said.

The Stoughton Fire Department received a call at 6:11 p.m. Jan. 27 reporting a fire in a closet in a unit at 93 Porter St., Campbell said. The building is located directly behind the Freeman St. Fire Station in the downtown.

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Upon arrival, the Stoughton Police Department was actively helping residents of the apartment building evacuate, Campbell said.

Campbell said there was light smoke showing from the first floor closet fire. The fire was contained to the closet, although there was some water and smoke damage to the first floor unit, he said.

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The second floor of the building is being renovated, Campbell said, so there were tenants only on the first and third floors. They were provided temporary lodging at 99 Porter St., Campbell said, as the alarm system is being dealt with.

The Stoughton Fire Department was on scene for about an hour. The Canton Fire Department covered the Freeman St. Station during the call.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Campbell said this call came on the same shift in which Stoughton Firefighter Victor Melendy died in the line of duty 18 years ago, the morning of Jan. 28, 1995 in a Rose St. fire in a similar type structure to the one Stoughton Firefighters responded to Sunday night.


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