Police and firefighters rescued a 12-year-old girl Friday night as 10 people were injured and 13 left homeless when cooking oil apparently ignited a blaze that caused an estimated $75,000 damage to a historic home.
The girl, a Coakley Middle School sixth-grader, was taken to Massachusetts General Hospital with serious burns and smoke inhalation. She was later transferred to Shriners Hospital. The girl's mother suffered similar injuries, according to the Fire Department, and was taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Both were listed in serious but stable condition during transport. Fire Department spokesman George Morrice said yesterday he does not have the names of the girl and her mother, and the department does not know their updated conditions.
Morrice said while the mother and daughter suffered the most serious injuries, firefighters do not believe they are life threatening.
Investigators traced the cause of the fire at 213 Pleasant St. to cooking oil that ignited in one of the units in the multifamily home, Morrice said.
The 1850s-era building, known as the George B. Talbot House and listed as one of the top 100 historical structures in town by the Norwood Historical Commission, had what Norwood Fire Chief Michael Howard estimated to be $75,000 worth of damage.
Talbot was one of Norwood's founding fathers, and his signature is on the document that officially incorporated Norwood as a town in 1872.
Six other occupants and two police officers were taken to Caritas Norwood Hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation. Norwood Police spokesman Paul Bishop said yesterday officers Christopher Padden and Joseph Reen were treated and released.
Padden and Reen went to the house on a report of a fire at 10:40 p.m. Friday.
According to Padden's report, "The front of the house was fully engulfed in flames and there were people running from the house screaming."
Padden said a frantic woman told him her daughter was still in the house, likely in her bedroom on the first floor.
Padden said he and Reen smashed the girl's bedroom window with their batons. Padden was able to get his upper body into the window, but couldn't get inside the room. He said he turned on his flashlight and screamed for the girl to come to the light, which she did. The officers couldn't get her out because of the jagged broken glass around the window frame.
Morrice said firefighters arrived and saw smoke and fire spewing from one side of the building. They used axes to break through the bedroom window and rescue the girl.
As firefighters battled the blaze, medical personnel treated occupants for burns and smoke inhalation, said Morrice.
Red Cross personnel worked through the night to assist 13 displaced residents.
Firefighters from Walpole, Westwood, Canton, Sharon and Foxborough assisted Norwood fire crews, while the Norfolk and Wrentham Fire Departments provided station coverage.
Daily News staff writer Brian Falla can be reached at 781-433-8339 or bfalla@cnc.com.
