Fire officials said they believe a blaze that fully engulfed a shed behind a Washington Street house and damaged three nearby homes Tuesday was sparked by a mechanical malfunction of a running motorcycle.
The fire — in a small, homemade shed used to store three motorcycles — sent flames and thick black smoke skyward shortly after 3 p.m.
Firefighters attacked the flames at 206 Washington St. from two sides and had the blaze knocked down within minutes, but emergency crews remained on the scene for about an hour for cleanup and while inspectors examined the fire site.
Fire Inspector Joe Mountain was still investigating the fire as of press time Tuesday; however, Captain Phil Harvey categorized the fire as “accidental,” adding that the blaze appeared to have started in the area of the middle motorcycle.
Officials confirmed a resident of the home had started one of the motorcycles shortly before the fire broke out.
Arlene Cecilio is listed as the owner of 206 Washington St., but neighbor Doreen Ross said she was not at home when the fire broke out. According to neighbors, Cecilio’s daughter also lives in the multi-family home along with her husband, and was the only person at the house when the fire started.
There were no reports of injuries.
The section of Washington Street between Gloucester Avenue and Centennial Avenue was closed to all traffic for some 50 minutes, before police reopened the roadway just before 4 p.m.
Ross, who has lived next door at 204 Washington St., and whose home sustained minor exterior damage due to heat from the nearby flames, was grateful for everyone’s safety and for the quick response by the Gloucester Fire Department.
She said she heard a small “bump,” which made her get up and look out her rear window.
“I thought, what are they doing, burning leaves in that small area? Then, I realized,” Ross said. “I’ve never been so scared in my life.”
According to Harvey, fire crews, after overhearing initial reports of trouble over the police radio channel, were on their way to the fire even before the first 911 call was placed.
“Once the phones started ringing, they just rang and rang and rang,” Harvey said.
“It moved so fast, every second it was growing bigger and bigger,” Ross said. “It seemed like it took forever, but (firefighters) actually got here pretty quickly.”
The fire also caught onto some fencing, and the three houses adjacent to the fire site sustained exterior damage from the fire’s flames and heat. But the blaze did not actually catch onto any of the houses in the congested area.
In addition to minor exterior damage at the Ross residence, the mint-green aluminum siding on the back side of Cecilio’s home was severely charred, and the year-old, beige vinyl siding at 206R was melted and warped.
The driver’s side of a vehicle parked between 206R and 206 Washington St. was also burned.
Officials were also concerned about the presence of propane tanks on the property.
Harvey said a propane cylinder was leaking when firefighters arrived, but it thankfully didn’t blow.
“We were able to cool the cylinder and keep it under control,” Harvey said. “These are the good ones — when it’s just ‘stuff.'”
Jonathan L’Ecuyer can be reached at 978-283-7000 x 3451 or jlecuyer@gloucestertimes.com.