Brockton Fire That Injured 7 Began With A Candle, Fire Chief Says

BROCKTON, MA — A three-alarm fire that sent seven people to the hospital over the weekend started accidentally with a candle, officials said in a news release Monday.

The fire broke out at a triple-decker residential building on Central Square shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday, when Brockton Fire said they found several people hanging from windows on the third floor. Fire officials rescued five people using ladders and two using the stairs before the fire was knocked down about an hour later, the department wrote in a Facebook post Sunday.

“This fire had every potential to be a terrible tragedy, and I want to recognize the outstanding work of Brockton firefighters in rescuing residents from the danger,” Chief Nardelli wrote in Monday's news release. “We believe the fire started with a candle, which ignited flammable items nearby. If you use candles at home, please remember to keep anything that can burn at least a foot away on all sides."

Officials determined that the fire began in a bedroom on the building's second floor, where a candle ignited flammable items on a bedside table.

State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey added that candles cause about 100 fires each year in Massachusetts, almost all of which take place in people's homes.

"Always place candles on a sturdy, nonflammable saucer or candleholder," Chief Nardelli said. "And never leave a burning candle unattended – always blow it out before you leave the room or go to sleep.”