Person Hospitalized Following House Fire In North Smithfield

NORTH SMITHFIELD, RI — A person has been hospitalized following a multi-alarm house fire in North Smithfield Wednesday evening, said North Smithfield Fire Chief David Chartier.

Firefighters from multiple departments were called to the home on St. Paul Street at approximately 5 p.m., said Chartier. As a result of the blaze, the home began to collapse and firefighters continued to find pockets of fire inside the home for hours.

"We have a roof collapse here and we had some floors collapse," Chartier told reporters at the scene. "So what happens is when you get that collapse, and everything pancakes on top of itself, you get hidden pockets of fire that are in there. So it's just extensive work and we're not able to get crews inside, it's just too dangerous."

Chartier said the cold temperatures Wednesday evening created further problems for first responders due to puddles of water freezing over.

“These kinds of conditions become a concern when the weather is cold and we have a lot of water flowing," he said. "It’s dark, so you can’t see the patches of ice."

The house was immediately demolished following the fire due to safety hazards and the fire chief said a dog inside the home did not survive.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.