Two are displaced after East Providence house fire

EAST PROVIDENCE — A late-morning fire Thursday, April 13, permanently displaced a family from their residence in the center of the city.

East Providence Fire Department Chief Oscar Elmasian reported out no injuries were sustained as personnel contained a house fire on Sutton Avenue.

The two-alarm blaze created a mass of smoke, which consumed the bungalow-style structure located at 348 Sutton Ave.

The first two EPFD engines to reach the location found flames jutting up from the basement through the roof, according to the chief, who added there were “pockets” of fire inside the structure firefighters could not reach. Chief Elmasian said it was determined the home was unsafe for not only occupants to remain but for his personnel to work. The chief walls inside the home had noticeably “bowed” and firefighters had to “peel off a good portion” of the roof to battle the flames initially.

EPPD crews remained at the scene into the afternoon to continue to monitor the situation before demolition workers were called to eventually begin razing the building, which continued into Friday, April 14, under the supervision of city building inspector Al Quatrucci. Chief Elmasian said the cause of the fire remains under investigation. He added at least two residents of the home needed to find alternate accommodations.