WORCESTER ― One person was taken to a hospital and 28 people were displaced by a two-alarm fire that ravaged a building in the Washington Heights apartment complex early Thursday morning, authorities say.
The fire was reported around 1 a.m. and started on the second floor of the building at 78 Outlook Drive, Assistant Fire Chief Adam Roche said.
Roche said the cause was improperly discarded smoking materials.
While the fire was out within 20 minutes, Roche said one person had to be rescued from the third floor of the building “with some smoke inhalation.”
No firefighters were injured, Roche said.
Roche said 28 residents were displaced due to fire damage. He said he did not know where the residents were finding shelter, but he added that building management was providing help.
In June, a fire devastated another building in the same block; two people were rescued from the third floor of 52 Outlook Drive.
The extensive damage from that fire displaced 35 people and damaged 36 units across the three buildings. At least 24 units were considered a total loss.