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Screenshot of the WPRI.com YouTube video below
28 Jan 2026

Three firefighters injured in a sudden flashover

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CRANSTON, R.I. — Three firefighters were injured Tuesday after a flashover erupted inside a burning home, forcing crews into a defensive operation as part of the roof collapsed, according to local officials.

Cranston Assistant Fire Chief James Woyciechowski said crews had difficulty locating the seat of the fire when they first arrived. The blaze appeared to be concealed on the second floor, where conditions rapidly deteriorated.

“When they opened that door, it flashed over on them,” Woyciechowski told WPRI.

Source: https://www.wpri.com/news/local-news/west-bay/roof-partially-collapses-during-c…

According to Firehouse.com, all three firefighters were transported to a hospital for treatment, and one remained hospitalized Tuesday evening.

Source: https://www.firehouse.com/safety-health/video/55353510/cranston-ri-firefighters…

The flashover forced incident commanders to pull crews from the structure and transition to a defensive attack as a section of the roof gave way. Woyciechowski said frigid temperatures complicated operations, with water freezing on contact and creating hazardous conditions for firefighters working outside the building.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Additional video coverage of the incident is available from WPRI: https://youtu.be/uy7hP4elIvU