It was a busy day for Barrington Firefighters in the sub-freezing temps during the MLK Holiday on Monday, January 16th.
C- Group ran all day with multiple EMS calls and various fire alarm activations through the town.
At approximately 6pm, as B- Group was reporting for duty at the shift change, dispatch received multiple 911 calls for a structure fire at Barrington Middle School on Middle Highway.
Ironically, Station 1 had cleared from this scene an hour earlier for a box alarm. Firefighters conducted an investigation earlier, and found 5 class rooms, on side 3 of the school, flooded due to a heating system malfunction earlier in the day.
Station 1 was dispatched sending, Quint 1, Engine 2, Rescue 1, and Car 1.
Barrington Police Department arrived on scene and notified dispatch that fire was showing from the front of the building. Quint 1 arrived on scene and Lt. Greg Hughes reported a code-red, with fire showing at the roof-line on side 1 of the auditorium.
Lieutenant Hughes set up Middle Highway command and ordered Engine 2 to reverse lay 5 inches of LDH to a hydrant 200 feet away.
Rescue Company 1 arrived on scene and immediately threw a ground ladder up to the mezzanine on side 1.
Command notified dispatch that fire was pushing from the roof at the auditorium and main lobby of the school. A second alarm was struck bringing East Providence Engine 2, Ladder 1 and Providences' Canteen 1 to the scene, while Warren Engine 1 provided station coverage.
Quint 1 placed its stick to the roof of the auditorium and members ascended to the roof, where a large HVAC unit and the surrounding combustibles were on fire.
Firefighters from Rescue 1 and Quint 1 were able to knock down the flames and keep the damage confined to the roof and HVAC unit. A large natural gas main that fed the HVAC unit had been damaged and Providence Gas arrived on scene early to shut off the gas to the unit.
Firefighters had the fire under control in 20 minutes.
The school department worked into early morning to clean up the damage caused by both incidents and relocate classrooms for the start of school on Tuesday.
There were no injuries reported during the fire and it was determined that both incidents at the school were unrelated.
