By Harry Kane

A fire burned through a Jaques Street home Monday evening causing residents and next-door neighbors to flee to the streets.  

At 6:12 p.m. residents of 37 Jaques St. were caught off guard by a fire in their house. At the present time the cause is unknown. 

Emelio Tull, 15, was at the Romanza’s Pizzeria on Mystic Avenue when he saw the flames and smelled the smoke. “There were just like flames coming out of the top windows of the house and everyone was just crowding around here. I could see the smoke from everywhere.  It was just crazy. You could smell it. It was really strong.” 

Daishawn Ulysee, 15, a friend of Tull’s was also at the scene. “I thought it was my friend Anthony’s house but I came to find out it was two houses away, fortunately it was two houses away, but it’s still kinda sad how their house got burned down.” 

Owner of the next-door house, Jack Fernandez of 35 Jaques St. was coming home at the time. “I found my tenant running down the street.”  

The tenant, who did not want to be identified said, “We just saw embers and then puffed into fire.” The tenant was the one who dialed 911. 

Half a dozen fire engines lined Jaques Street as firefighters from local firehouses put out the fire. 

No known fatalities or injuries have been disclosed and the investigation is ongoing.

(photos by Harry Kane)