A vacant house caught fire on Hanover Street Wednesday afternoon, about two hours after contractors left.
Just after 2 p.m., fire crews were called to 340 Hanover St., a single-family home. Firefighters arrived at the scene about 2:07 p.m. and the fire was extinguished about a half-hour later.
The two-story house was vacant and there were no injuries, Fire Marshal Steve Trella said. Contractors had been working at the house about two hours before the fire started, he said. The property is owned by Citi Mortgage, Inc., according to city records.
If the house was occupied, it would be inhabitable, Trella noted. Both floors were heavily damaged in the fire.
Loretta Farmer, a neighbor, said the house was recently sold after being in foreclosure. Farmer said she heard a “boom” Wednesday afternoon before noticing smoke coming out of the house. There were several people working at the house on Tuesday as well, she said.
Early on in their response, several firefighters could be seen on the roof of the home while white smoke billowed around them. Smoke was pouring from every door and window. As of Wednesday afternoon, Trella said, he didn’t know where the fire started, stating that it was still under investigation.
Police were called to the scene to handle traffic in the area. Hanover Street was closed between Winthrop Terrace and Highland Avenue. Mutual aid was called in from Wallingford and Berlin.