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WESTBOROUGH, Mass. -- The fire department said that improperly disposed cigarettes caused a fire that damaged an apartment building at Flanders Hill on Sunday afternoon in Westborough.
“The cause was improper disposal of smoking materials,” said Westborough Fire Capt. Bob Rand on Monday.
The fire that damaged the exterior of 5200 Homestead Blvd. started outside the building. Rand said there was an amount of cigarettes found throughout the mulch and bushes there.
No injuries were reported Sunday, though units from neighboring towns did come to assist Westborough Fire in extinguishing the blaze soon after an alarm was pulled and at least one 911 call was made.
No other cause for the fire was determined, however, Rand said that recent weather conditions were a factor in allowing the fire to spread.
“It’s dry,” said Rand. “The sun is drying things out as the day progresses, along with swirling winds. … The risk of fire is certainly going up as it gets warmer and dryer.”
Rand said the property manager is being advised of the dry conditions, which has made the risk of fire worse in the region. He warned that brush still leftover from 2011’s Halloween storm has the potential to fuel future fires.
“It’s going to be a tough spring unless we get some showers,” he said.
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