SCOTT J. CROTEAU
Worcester Telegram and Gazette

LEOMINSTER - Fire officials said an early-morning fire yesterday on Union Street caused by a man smoking in bed could have been much worse, especially since no smoke alarms were found in the building.

Deputy Fire Chief Alfred F. Kirouac said the fire, called in about 2:45 a.m. at 157 Union St., started after a man in his 50s was smoking a cigarette in bed then fell asleep.

"When he woke up there were flames on his blankets about 2 feet high," Deputy Chief Kirouac said. "He threw the blankets down on the floor and went downstairs to get water."

The man couldn't make it back into the third-floor attic bedroom because of the fire and heat. The man suffered burns to his stomach and a hand, but refused to be taken to a hospital.

When Deputy Fire Chief Jeffrey Davis and crews arrived at the two-story house they found fire shooting out the attic window. They also found the man and his mother, who is in her 80s, on the second floor.

Firefighters had to help the man and his mother downstairs as firefighters brought hoses up to the fire.

While clearing out windows, Fire Lt. Mark Burnett was hit in the eye with a piece of glass and the eye was later stitched, Deputy Chief Kirouac said.

Fire officials found the man living in a finished space in the attic and are investigating whether a building permit was issued for the living space. The room only had one way out and Deputy Chief Kirouac does not believe the bedroom would pass state building codes today.

Four people living in the house are being helped by the American Red Cross of Central Massachusetts. Fitchburg and Sterling firefighters went to the scene and fire departments from the area helped cover Leominster's stations.

The house was not completely destroyed in the one-alarm fire, but the residents could not stay there after the blaze. The third-floor bedroom was a total ruin. The first and second floors received considerable water damage.

Some of the ceilings on the first floor fell because of water damage.

Fire officials found no smoke or carbon monoxide detectors in the house.

"Certainly there could have been a death here," Deputy Chief Kirouac said. "For whatever reason, he did wake up and was able to get himself out."

It took about 20 minutes for firefighters to gain control of the fire. Deputy Chief Kirouac said the building had a balloon frame, which means there are open channels along the sides of the house. Fire travels easily through those channels and firefighters had to check that fire did not reach those areas.

Firefighters remained at the scene until 7 a.m. to make sure the fire did not rekindle.

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August 9, 2010