Rochester Family Displaced in Fire

ROCHESTER — A Rochester family has been displaced in a fire that tore through the garage and attic of their home in the far north of town yesterday afternoon.

The Rochester Fire Department said one resident was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated for smoke inhalation during the incident, although no other injuries were reported.

Crews were called out for a structure fire at 12:39 p.m. Thursday at a North Avenue home.

Firefighters arrived within eight minutes of the call to find heavy fire and smoke in an attached garage, according to a statement from the department.

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All of the residents and their pets had evacuated the house prior to the fire crews' arrival.

Crew members mounted what the department called "an aggressive interior attack" on the blaze, and managed to stop the fire from entering the living space.

Although the fire was quickly knocked down in the garage, it had already caught in part of the attic space.

Firefighters got into the attic to fight the fire there, the department stated, and they stayed inside knocking down hotspots and checking for fire in the walls and ceilings for around two hours.

The department said that the cause of the fire appears to be accidental, but it remains under investigation.

Rochester Animal Control is sheltering the family's pets while they deal with the aftermath.

Freetown's fire department and the Rochester police assisted at the scene.