1 Injured In North Smithfield Fire + Safe Injection Site Bill

Up and at 'em, Woonsocket! Let's get you started on this Friday with everything you need to know going on today. In today's Daily, we share information about a fire in North Smithfield, a bill that would legalize safe injection sites in Rhode Island, June 2021 nearly breaking the state's heat record, the restaurant moving into the former Benny's location in Providence, and three gun bills that were approved by Rhode Island lawmakers.

First, today's weather: Rain in the morning and afternoon. High: 67, low: 56.

Here are the top stories in Woonsocket today:

1. One person has been hospitalized with serious injuries following a three-alarm fire that broke out at a North Smithfield home Thursday morning. Firefighters responded to the home on Old Pound Hill Road at approximately 4 a.m. and found the home fully engulfed in flames. (Patch)

2. The Rhode Island Senate is set to consider a two-year pilot program on the use of safe injection sites for people suffering from substance abuse disorders. If the bill passes, it would be legal for people to consume pre-obtained substances under the supervision of health care professionals. (NBC 10 News)

3. June 2021 is the second-warmest on record for Rhode Island, according to the National Weather Service. Over the past month, the average temperature recorded in Providence was 72 degrees, just 0.3 degrees lower than the record of 72.3 set in 1943. The average is 68 degrees. (Patch)

4. Three gun bills were approved by the Rhode Island House and Senate. The first would prohibit anyone from having a gun on school grounds except for police or security, the second would ban anyone from buying and transferring a gun to someone who can't legally own one, and the third would require the attorney general's office to report the number of cases involving guns. (NBC 10 News)

5. Wayback Burgers is opening at the former Benny's location at 66 Branch Ave. in Providence. The site is off I-95 and includes several other businesses. (The Providence Journal).

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Today in Woonsocket

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Now you're in the loop and ready to head out the door on this Friday. I'll see you around!

— Annie Sandoli

About me: Annie has been a Boston-based writer since 2018, after graduating with her BA in Social Thought and Political Economy from UMass Amherst and ALM in journalism from Harvard University. She has worked as a freelancer throughout Massachusetts and as part of an editorial team in London, UK. Her interests include music and the arts, creative writing and literature, and topics of social and political justice.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Woonsocket Daily? Email all inquiries to me at annie.sandoli@patch.com.