Firefighters Find Three Small Fires in Vacant Building Near Shaw's

East Providence firefighters responded to a vacant building behind the Shaw's Supermarket plaza in Riverside to find three small fires at about 10:15 this morning.

An alarm alerted firefighters to smoke in the building. When firefighters arrived, two of the fires were already out and one was still burning. All three were small and on the floor in close proximity to each other.

The city's fire marshal, Capt. Oscar Elmasian, said they did not know that a portion of the building was being used to store furniture, and because services had been shut off to the building, it should not have been in use. Until today, the fire department believed it was totally vacant and unused.

Once home to Grants Department Store and the former home of a medical supply company, a portion of the roof on the building at 1070 Willett Ave. collapsed last winter from heavy snow.

In addition to the fires, investigators found obvious signs of break-ins, including an open front door and a piece of plywood with a hole in it.

It has not been determined if this was a deliberate arson attempt. Capt. Elmasion said they are simply calling the fires "suspicious."