Fire on Geneva Street, Providence, leaves several homeless

PROVIDENCE — Fire officials say several people safely escaped from a fire Monday morning at 27 Geneva St. in the Valley neighborhood of the city.

The call for the fire came in just after 6 a.m. One firefighter suffered a shoulder injury responding to the incident. Another person was hurt nearby after slipping on ice, according to officials on scene.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but isn't considered suspicious.

The number of people affected by the fire was not immediately clear. Fire officials said on scene that seven people escaped the blaze; the American Red Cross said afterward eight people were receiving its help.

At 9:30 a.m., smoke was still rising from the charred remains of the roof of the multifamily home, which was extensively damaged and will probably need to be demolished.

The fire caused the roof of the building to cave in, and firefighters haven't been able to search the whole structure, said Deputy Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Capracotta.

Capracotta was there later Monday morning after relieving Acting Deputy Assistant Chief Kevin Jutras. Capracotta said the frigid temperatures made battling the fire more difficult. The water they were trying to get onto the fire iced over immediately. And firefighters had to make sure that the houses next door didn't also suffer from damage.

"They did a great job," Capracotta said. "They were able to keep it from getting to the other house."