NORTHAMPTON – Northampton firefighters were called to the Neilson Library at Smith College Wednesday at around 9 a.m. for a report of a structure fire in the building’s roof.
Upon arriving at the library, which is under renovation, a small fire was found in a “void space within the roofing system,” according to a statement released on the Northampton Fire Department’s Facebook page.
“The fire is under investigation,” Northampton Assistant Fire Chief Jon Davine said. “We’re not sure what caused it.”
The interior space where the fire was detected was “difficult to access because of the construction,” Davine noted, “but we made it work.”
Firefighters used chainsaws and other tools to remove parts of the roofing system and to ensure that the fire had been completely extinguished, while other firefighters tended to safety lines and stood by with a fire hose just if needed. The fire was put out with extinguishers through a small access point.
No injuries were reported and the fire caused minor damage to the building. Firefighters cleared the scene by 11 a.m. The Easthampton Fire Department assisted with a medical call in Northampton while the city’s firefighters were at work at the library.