By: Laura Soukkavong
Southbridge – Emergency crews responded to a significant house fire on Monday afternoon in Southbridge.
At about 3:00 p.m. on March 9, the Southbridge Fire Department and Southbridge Police Department were dispatched to 417 South Street following reports of a structure fire.
Firefighters arriving on scene observed flames coming from windows on the side of the building along with heavy smoke conditions visible from the street. Bystanders informed crews that a woman who lived in a first-floor unit was believed to still be inside the residence.
Firefighters immediately began search and rescue operations inside the building. Crews located the woman and brought her out of the structure at approximately 3:18 p.m.
She was transported by ambulance to UMass Memorial – Harrington Hospital in critical condition. Hospital officials later indicated that the patient was stabilized before being flown by medical helicopter to a hospital in the Boston area for continued care.
As crews battled the fire, additional assistance was requested. Paul Normandin Jr. elevated the response to a third alarm, bringing in firefighters from surrounding communities, including Auburn, Dudley, Spencer, Sturbridge, and Webster. Altogether, roughly 50 firefighters and command staff responded to the incident.
The scene was cleared at approximately 6:24 p.m.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s Office in conjunction with the Southbridge Fire and Police Fire Investigation Team.
Following an inspection of the structure, the Southbridge Building Commissioner deemed the building uninhabitable.
Chief Normandin thanked all mutual aid departments and emergency responders for their quick response and assistance.
Additional information will be released as it becomes available.