ROCKVILLE — An unoccupied home at 324 Canonchet Road was fully involved in fire when the Hope Valley Fire Department was called to the scene shortly before 8 p.m., Tuesday.
A burned-out shell of a building is all that remains of the uninhabitable small house this morning.
Within a short time after arriving on the scene, fire officials called the state fire marshal, who determined the fire to be of suspicious origin. Hopkinton police are investigating.
Dozens of firefighters from Hope ValleyWyoming, Ashaway, Exeter and Carolina were fighting the blaze, which could be seen from a great distance on Canonchet Road and Spring Street.
Crews worked quickly to extinguish the blaze, which had gotten a big head start. The Rhode Island Red Cross was being called to assist the occupants of the house, who were on the scene but not home at the time of the fire.
The Hopkinton building inspector was also called to the scene to look at the structure.
Hopkinton police list the owners of the house, near the Rockville Post Office, as Gerald and Carol Theberge. According to a police report on the incident, several people were listed as living in the house, although the homeowner reportedly told police no one was supposed to be living in the house.
Neighbors apparently looked out to see flames coming through the house's windows and roof. Several emergency calls came in at the same time. The majority of the fire was extinguished within a half-hour.
Reporter Chris Sheldon contributed to this report
Units:
Engines 912 -913 - 915 Ladder 911 Tankers 916 and 919 Special Hazards 900
