Neighbor Saves Home from Serious Fire Damage

A neighbor played the role of Good Samaritan early Sunday when a garbage can on the side of a home in the area of Fairview and Colony Streets caught fire.

Smoking materials that had not been properly disposed sparked the flames in the cam on the side of the house, according to a release from Assistant Fire Chief Scott Bisson. An unidentified neighbor alerted the occupants to the blaze that had begun on the side of the home and all family members -- including two children and pets -- evacuated safely. The neighbor also alerted the Fire Department.

First responders found moderate smoke visible from the building and used a pre-connected hose line to extinguish the fire and ensured that the flames did not extend into the dwelling's structure.

In addition to minor damage to the home, a car parked next to house sustained some fire damage to the plastic body parts before the blaze was extinguished. The fire caused approximately $8,000 in damage, Bisson said, but was cleared to turn back over to the occupants.

“This family was very fortunate that their neighbor saw the fire and alerted them when they did," Bisson said. "This notification combined with the rapid call to 911 allowed the sleeping family to escape this fire while it was still small and outside of the structure.”