Children — ages 7 and 9 — blamed for fire at community center

Alert neighbor spots blaze, calls fire department

Posted 6/26/17

Two young children started a small fire alongside the Bay Spring Community Center on Wednesday, June 21, which eventually charred some of the building's shingles and a window casing.

Barrington …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

Log in

Register to post events


If you'd like to post an event to our calendar, you can create a free account by clicking here.

Note that free accounts do not have access to our subscriber-only content.

Day pass subscribers

Are you a day pass subscriber who needs to log in? Click here to continue.


Children — ages 7 and 9 — blamed for fire at community center

Alert neighbor spots blaze, calls fire department

Posted

Two young children started a small fire alongside the Bay Spring Community Center on Wednesday, June 21, which eventually charred some of the building's shingles and a window casing.

Barrington police said an alert neighbor spotted the blaze at about 4:45 p.m. and quickly called the fire department. The neighbor also threw a pan full of water onto the flames in an effort to extinguish the blaze. 

Firefighters responded to the community center at 170 Narragansett Ave. and doused the remaining flames. Meanwhile, police officers interviewed the two young children — a 9-year-old and a 7-year-old — who were spotted nearby. The two youngsters told police that they had seen some teenagers hanging around the community center. The children said the teenagers lit the fire and then fled the scene.

A further investigation revealed that no teenagers were involved and that the two young children were, in fact, responsible for lighting the fire. Police said the children had used lighters to ignite leaves and wood near the building. 

Barrington Fire Chief Gerald Bessette said the town was fortunate to knock down the blaze before it spread.

"It's such an old, brittle building," said Chief Bessette, adding that the building is sprinklered. 

"The fire was into the shingles, and it burned one window frame."

Barrington fire officials called the state fire marshal's office after it became clear that the fire had been set. 

"They have a fire setter's program," said the chief. 

The Bay Spring Community Center was first built more than 100 years ago — the first floor served as home to the fire station, while the second floor functioned as a community meeting room.

The building stopped serving as a fire station in 1968, and the town has since maintained it for community use. The building was renovated more recently. It now hosts meetings, concerts and other events.

2024 by East Bay Media Group

Barrington · Bristol · East Providence · Little Compton · Portsmouth · Tiverton · Warren · Westport
Meet our staff
Mike Rego

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.