RUTLAND — A fire erupted at the Rutland House of Pizza late Monday night, drawing a robust response from local fire departments and resulting in significant damage to the establishment.
At 10:08 p.m., the Rutland Regional Emergency Communications Center received a report of an oven fire at 1 Maple Avenue.
The first responders from Rutland’s Fire Department arrived swiftly to find heavy flames through the roof and in the kitchen area of the restaurant.
Rutland Engine 2 initiated an aggressive attack inside the building, containing the fire to its origin point.
Despite the initial efforts, a second and then a third alarm were called as additional fire departments joined the battle against the blaze.
A coordinated effort by approximately 41 firefighters from several neighboring towns, including Barre, Holden, Hubbardston, Paxton, Oakham, Spencer, Gardner, Sterling, and West Boylston, successfully brought the fire under control within an hour of the initial emergency call.
Fire crews stretched and operated three hand lines to knock down the fire and stayed on the scene for several hours to complete extinguishment and conduct salvage and overhaul operations.
According to the officials, there were no injuries reported among civilians or firefighters.
However, the building suffered considerable damage, leading to a considerable loss of property.
The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the District 8 Fire Investigations Unit.
The Rutland Fire Department has not determined the cause of the fire at this time.
Assistance at the scene was complemented by the Leicester EMS Department, and the Westminster Fire Department provided station coverage during the incident.
Fire Chief Seth Knipe has commended the actions of all responding units for their effective teamwork, which prevented the fire from escalating further.
Additional information will be disclosed as the investigation progresses.
