Two firefighters injured battling three-alarm blaze in Fall River

By Colin A. Young, Globe Correspondent

A three-alarm fire in Fall River early today displaced 11 residents and sent two firefighters to the hospital, fire officials said.

Just after midnight, a call came in for a fire in a three-story tenement in the 700 block of Plymouth Avenue in Fall River, according to Acting Fire Lieutenant J.P. Picard. The blaze eventually escalated to three alarms and was not put out until about 5:30 a.m., Picard said.

Two firefighters were transported to Rhode Island Hospital to be treated for injuries sustained battling the blaze, Picard said. The injuries are not believed to be life-threatening, officials said.

After an investigation, the State Fire Marshal’s office determined that the fire was “an accidental fire started by an exterior motor vehicle fire that spread to the building,” a spokeswoman said.

Eleven people – seven adults and four children – were displaced by the fire, the American Red Cross said. Red Cross volunteers are assisting the family, and the organization is providing them with temporary shelter as well as money for food and clothing.