A fire tore through the first floor of a Grove Street home in Woonsocket around 2 a.m. Friday, trapping residents on the second floor until they climbed out through a back window to safety. A police officer who tried to help them was treated at the scene, though no other injuries were reported.
The Woonsocket Fire Department responded to the blaze on Grove Street, according to WJAR, which reported that the fire was contained to the first floor of the home while it trapped people upstairs. Those residents escaped through a back window as crews worked the scene, the station reported.
A police officer was treated after attempting to help the trapped residents, per the outlet's reporting, though the exact nature of the officer's injuries was not detailed. The station noted that no other injuries were reported in connection with the fire.
Crews Focus on Blown-Out Window
A news crew on scene observed firefighters concentrating their efforts on a blown-out window at the property, the report noted, as crews also took photographs from the exterior of the home while working to knock down the blaze. The cause of the fire has not been disclosed.
Friday's fire adds to a string of recent residential blazes in Woonsocket. In August, firefighters responded to a condominium fire on Village Road where two people were treated at the scene for smoke inhalation, according to a separate report from the same outlet, WJAR. And in December 2025, a fire at a multi-story residence elsewhere on Grove Street left no injuries but killed two cats, with fire officials saying the damage was contained to a couple of rooms, the outlet reported at the time.
Pattern of Close Calls Across the City
Not every recent Woonsocket fire has ended with injuries or close calls. In June 2025, everyone safely exited a house fire that appeared contained to the second floor and attic, according to WPRI. Nationally, the U.S. Fire Administration has reported that the average fire in 2023 resulted in 2.1 deaths and 6.4 injuries per 1,000 fires, underscoring how the outcome of Friday's fire — with only one officer treated — fell on the less severe end of that spectrum.
No additional details about the extent of the damage, the cause of the fire, or whether residents were displaced have been released. Hoodline will update this story as more information becomes available.
