Update: Unclear if Warwick building had fire alarms

Published Feb. 24, 2010 at 6:52 p.m.

Journal photo/ Mary Murphy
Hours after firefighters extinguished the flames, smoke was still rising from the ruins of an apartment building in the Trafalgar East apartment complex Wednesday morning.

WARWICK, R.I. -- A four-alarm fire gutted a building at the Trafalgar East apartment complex on Post Road in Warwick and sent residents out into the rain before dawn Wednesday morning.

About 50 residents -- many in their bed clothes, some holding pets -- were standing outside the building as firefighters worked to extinguish the flames, said Christina Benson-Dufault, who rushed there to check on a family member after a friend awakened her with a phone call at about 4:30 a.m.

Watch the video:
Early morning fire in Warwick apartment building displaces residents

"It was engulfed," she said. "At least four units were totally engulfed."

It was unclear whether the 40-year-old complex and its 189 units had adequate fire alarm protection. And, if it did, whether it was operating.

Fire officials said investigators are looking into that question, but declined to say what they were discovering.

However, Warwick Assistant Chief Ed Armstrong did say that the alarm came in through to the Fire Department through a 911 call, and not from an alarm system.

John Bentz, the building manager, said its alarm systems "definitely were tested" by a private company last October or November, and the results had been turned over to the State Fire Marshal's Office. But he said he was unaware of the specifics of the system or how it worked, and no had no information on whether it had failed.

Residents interviewed by The Providence Journal said they heard no alarm, just frantic banging on doors and shouts that the building was on fire.

One of those who spread word of the fire through the building, John Hozlock, 47, said each Wednesday afternoon that each apartment in the complex has its own smoke detectors, and he does not believe they are wired into the Fire Department.

Armstrong, the Warwick fire official, said there were no initial indications of arson, but the investigation is continuing.

Crews from East Greenwich and North Kingstown joined Warwick firefighters in fighting the blaze, at 5300 Post Rd., near the East Greenwich line.

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