Portsmouth Firefighter Transported to Hospital After Fire Guts House

A Portsmouth firefighter was transported to Newport Hospital Wednesday morning for treatment of "overexertion" after a two-alarm blaze gutted a small house on Bristol Ferry Road. 

were called to 502 Bristol Ferry Road at 5:47 a.m. Wednesday for a report of a structure fire. Firefighters, who were first to arrive, witnessed heavy smoke coming from the first and second floors of the two-story, vacant house. 

The small house, located 300 feet up a driveway from the main road, was unoccupied at the time. The small structure was being used mainly for storage, according to Capt. Michael O'Brien.

The Sakonnet Times reports the structure was a "barn/studio," which was being used as a library.

Firefighters, including mutual aid responders from Bristol and Tiverton Fire Departments, entered the property through the first floor to fight the blaze. However, firefighters were careful not to access the second floor. 

"A hole burned through the second floor," O'Brien said. "Someone could have fallen through." 

A Portsmouth firefighter was transported by ambulance to Newport Hospital for treatment of "overexertion." His medical condition is unknown at this time. 

"He was one of the first responders," said O'Brien.

The fire was knocked down within 40 minutes. The blaze caused extensive damage to the home. "The house is pretty-well gutted," O'Brien said. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

Responding to the fire were members of the Bristol and Tiverton Fire Departments. Members of the Middletown and Naval Station Newport Fire Departments manned the Portsmouth station during the response. 

Route 114 was temporarily closed to traffic during the response, reports The Providence Journal.