Officials say 50 people displaced after East Greenwich apartment fire

EAST GREENWICH, R.I. (WLNE) — The Town of East Greenwich said approximately 50 residents were displaced after a roof top mechanical fire at an apartment complex Saturday morning.

According to the East Greenwich Firefighters Association, firefighters received a call for a fire at the Brookside Terrace complex just after 7 a.m.

Crews arrived to find fire coming from the roof of the building, which officials say was extinguished “quickly.”

In the three-story apartment building, most of the significant damage occurred in one stairwell from the ground level to the roof.

The building also sustained “significant” water and smoke damage, which East Greenwich Town Manager Andrew Nota said “will undoubtedly take months to remediate and repair before residents will be able to return.”

Multiple residents inhaled smoke, with one sent to a hospital with non life-threatening injuries, according to officials.

The property management firm will meet with tenants to discuss temporary housing at a hotel, and is preparing for long-term placement due to the time expected to repair the building.