West Warwick, RI, March 30, 2005 -- Fire marshals were continuing their investigation of a four-alarm fire that destroyed a vacant five-story mill. The historic mill was built in the mid-1800s of stone, brick and heavy timber.
At 6:40 P.M., the West Warwick Fire Department was dispatched to a reported fire at the Phenix Mill on Main Street. Four engines, a tower ladder and an ambulance responded. The on-duty battalion chief arrived on scene in 90 seconds, reported heavy smoke with fire showing on side 1 of the 100-by-300-foot mill and requested a second alarm. Fire Chief Charles Hall arrived on scene and requested a third-alarm response to the scene and a fourth alarm for station fill-ins.
Mutual aid departments at the scene included Coventry, Cranston and Warwick. Departments providing station coverage included East Greenwich, Providence and Warwick. The fire was contained by 9:30 P.M.
"In my career," Hall said, "I've been to four major mill fires like this, and they all ended up the same way."
Firefighters used 12 engines and five aerials to extinguish the fire. No injuries were reported. The owner of the building had planned on converting the mill into condominiums. Damage was estimated at $2 million.
