Investigation continues into mill fire

TIVERTON, R.I.—A section of an historic textile mill in Tiverton went up in flames early Saturday morning. Officials say the fire is deemed suspicious.

Fire officials received a call just before 2 a.m. from an officer on patrol. That call is being credited with saving at least part of the old Bourne cotton mill from being destroyed.

Tiverton Fire Chief Robert Lloyd told NBC 10 they had five ladder trucks operating at one time and probably about 100 to 150 firefighters working here on this fire.

Firefighters from Tiverton, Westport, Fall River, Middletown, Bristol, Portsmouth, Warren, Somerset and Swansea placed themselves in between a four-story building that had not yet been renovated and a five story building filled with new apartments, nearly ready for occupancy.

Lloyd said there was a great deal of heat, and they were worried if the fire ever reached the five-story mill it would have been devastating. He said he was not sure they could have saved the building at that point.

The mill had been vacant; an eyesore for years says Lloyd.  He says it was a fire waiting to happen until the Delbrooke Construction Company came in and “worked very closely with us and with the town and did a wonderful job to renovate this building.”
Officer Louis Farrias is credited with saving the five story mill because he spotted and called in the fire so quickly.

The fire remains under investigation.  The mill is 128 years old.

One firefighter at the scene was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released.