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Improper Disposal of Smoking Materials Sparked Low-Rise Blaze

Investigators are blaming a seventh-floor fire that forced the partial evacuation of a low-rise apartment building on a resident’s improper disposal of smoking materials.

The fire alarm of the multi-use building activated at 1 p.m. Monday, said Steve MacDonald, spokesperson for the Boston Fire Department. One part of the building has eight floors, another seven. It was in the seven-story section, which houses Beth Israel Deaconess Jamaica Plain on the first floor, where the fire started.

MacDonald said no one was injured except for one man who was treated for smoke inhalation. The 147-unit apartment building is home mostly to seniors. The residents who were evacuated from their apartments were able to shelter in a community room on the first floor, MacDonald said.

Firefighters were able to contain the blaze to the apartment where it started. Fire blew out the top floor windows in the rear of the building.

The blaze did an estimated $100,000 damage. Residents had to leave at least three apartments: The one where the fire started on the seventh floor, and the two below it on the sixth and fifth floors. The building management has made arrangements for the residents affected, MacDonald said.

Monday’s bitter cold caused a hydrant in back of the building to freeze up. The hydrant had been shoveled out. Because multiple engines responded, however, not having that hydrant did not harm the efforts to stop the blaze, MacDonald said.

Mayor Marty Walsh came to the fire scene and spoke to residents and first responders.

One man was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation and taken to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

The daytime fire on JP’s main street brought lots of attention on social media, including this overall view posted by JP’s Shamus Moynihan:

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Roof fire at 545 centre. @universalhub @02130News pic.twitter.com/02645PIJ4p— Shamus Moynihan…
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