GREENFIELD — A two-alarm fire that severely damaged the residential portion of the building that houses The Enthusiast smoke shop on the corner of Federal and Hastings streets Friday night was likely not intentional, officials say.
According to the building’s landlord, Peter Ruggeri, William Blanchard, the sole tenant of the building’s second floor apartment, is being treated for burns on his forearms at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. A public affairs representative at the hospital said Blanchard was in good condition.
Blanchard was originally transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center, but required further treatment.
“A lot of people stopped by to check on Bill,” Ruggeri said Saturday afternoon.
Greenfield Fire Lt. Kurt Seaman said one firefighter was transported to Baystate Franklin Medical Center Friday night. He declined to comment on the firefighter’s specific injuries, but said Saturday morning that the firefighter had been treated and released.
Neighbors described seeing flames leap above the rooftop of the back section of the building.
Officials responded to the blaze around 10:20 p.m.
“Upon arrival, the whole back end was fully involved in fire, with extension into the second floor and attic,” Greenfield Fire Chief Robert Strahan said.
He said a second alarm was triggered due to heat conditions, which brought in mutual aid from nine cities and towns.
Sarah Bennett, who lives next door, said she was watching television when she heard a commotion outside. At first she thought it was a fight, but when she looked outside, she said she saw flames coming from the building.
“There was a lady on the stairs with a hose trying to help,” Bennett said. “We both tried to approach it and it was too hot, but (the resident) got out.”
The fire was out and most smoke had cleared by 11:15 p.m. While Seaman said Saturday morning that the cause of the fire is still under investigation by the Greenfield police and fire departments and the State Fire Marshal’s Office, it is believed the fire was unintentional and not an incident of arson, he said.
Ruggeri arranged to have the building’s windows boarded up and the roof patched Saturday morning.
“That whole (second floor) apartment is damaged,” Ruggeri said. “On the first floor, most of the damage is in the rear. And the front part, (The Enthusiast) will be able to salvage product.”
The Enthusiast, which occupies the entirety of the building’s first floor, was closed Saturday as a result of the blaze.
Fire departments from Brattleboro, Bernardston, Turners Falls, Deerfield, South Deerfield, Erving, Northampton and Shelburne provided mutual aid at the scene, while Northfield covered the station.