It was not immediately known if anyone was injured in the early Monday fire, but a two-family home on Belmont Ave. was badly damaged in the blaze, which closed several blocks of the avenue to traffic.
Update at 5:18 a.m. Monday, July 11: Arson is suspected in a fire that severely damaged a two-family home at 885-887 Belmont Ave., according to Springfield police.
Arson is suspected in a house fire reported at 12:07 a.m. Monday at 885-887 Belmont Ave. in the city's Forest Park neighborhood.SPRINGFIELD -- Arson is suspected in a Forest Park house fire reported at 12:07 a.m. Monday at 885-887 Belmont Ave., according to Springfield Police Lt. John Slepchuk.
"Suspected arson," Slepchuk said of the blaze, which was quickly contained and extinguished by Springfield firefighters.
There were no reported injuries in the fire, which closed a several-block stretch of Belmont Avenue to traffic near the East Longmeadow line.
The status of the residents of the home -- a large, two-family building near the corner of Prescott Street -- was not immediately known.
"It appears to have started on the porch," Slepchuk said.
The fire was just about out around 1:15 a.m. Monday, but smoke still clung to the warm, humid air as firefighters trained their hoses on smoldering hot spots. Several fire vehicles, including two ladder trucks, responded to the call.
A section of roof toward the front of the severely charred 2 1/2-story building collapsed. Damage estimates were unavailable.
Additional information will be posted on MassLive.com as it becomes available.
THE MAP BELOW shows the approximate location of a Monday morning house fire in the Forest Park section of Springfield: