One person was injured in a fire and a series of small explosions that destroyed a garage filled with flammable materials Wednesday morning in Gloucester, Massachusetts.
Gloucester Fire Chief Eric Smith said in a press release that his department was called to a home on Marina Drive shortly after 10:30 a.m. for a report of a structure fire. When they arrived, they found a two-story, single-family home with an attached garage fully involved in flames.
A resident of the home had already gotten out on their own, but had suffered injuries and was taken by ambulance to Beverly Hospital for treatment.
Firefighters knocked down the main body of the fire before entering the garage to keep the flames from spreading to the attached home, Smith said. He said several flammable containers and an oxygen tank burned inside the garage, causing what appeared to be small explosions as the gases vented and fueled the fire.
The main body of the fire was knocked down by 11:09 a.m., and the blaze was fully under control by 11:20.
"Crews did an outstanding job attending to the victim and knocking the fire down quickly," Smith said. "We're hoping his injuries are minor and that he is released soon."
The garage is a total loss, Smith said, but the rest of the home suffered only smoke damage. The family that lives there will be displaced, but told authorities they have family in the area who they can stay with until they are able to return to their home.
Rockport firefighters covered Gloucester stations while their firefighters battled the blaze, and eventually responded directly to the scene to provide additional manpower.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but fire officials said it appears that welding might have been involved.
