Firefighters douse small blaze in Northampton home

NORTHAMPTON — The Fire Department doused a small fire at a Crescent Street home on Monday, which was first noticed by the homeowner’s daughter, who was home sick from school.

Three fire engines were dispatched to the fire at 218 Crescent St. at around noon on Monday and crews started to clear the scene by 1 p.m. Northampton Deputy Fire Chief Michael Hatch said the fire likely took less than 10 minutes to extinguish.

Hatch said the fire started in one of the home’s closets on the second floor, ignited from linens that were too close to a light source. He said the linens likely toppled over onto the light that was mounted on the wall.

“Fires can start anytime you have combustible materials near a light source,” said Hatch, noting that materials should be kept at least one foot away from heat sources such as light bulbs or candles. “Luckily, the residents had working alarms and called promptly.”

JFK middle school student Shoshana Simon was staying home sick from school at the house, where she lives, when she smelled smoke while watching a show.

“I smelt it first and then noticed smoke in the room,” said Simon, who called her mother once noticing the fire. “Then I opened the [closet] door and smoke flew out.”

As firefighters concluded work, Shoshana Simon embraced her mother Mara Simon, who rushed out of a meeting at Springfield College where she teaches after getting the call from her daughter.

“I’m very proud,” Mara Simon said, adding that if her daughter wasn’t home, the fire could have been much worse.

Mara Simon sent a ListServ text to her neighborhood after hearing from her daughter, prompting a neighbor to call 911 and check on Shoshana Simon. The Simons were not displaced from the fire.

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