Town officials to inspect Cape Cod building after fire tore through businesses, apartments

FALMOUTH, Mass. — Several people, including a firefighter, were hurt Monday night after flames tore through a building in the Cape Cod town of Falmouth.

On Tuesday morning, crews were cleaning up and trying to figure out what sparked the devastating fire.

The building on 176 Main Street has businesses on the first floor, like Sea Bags and The Pickle Jar restaurant, and then apartments on the second floor. There is extensive damage to the top of the second floor, and that’s where a person passing by first reported seeing the flames.

According to the Falmouth Fire Department, they were called by someone around 5 p.m. who said they saw fire coming out of the second floor.

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Falmouth fire

Residents living on the second floor did make it out, but two of them were taken to the hospital with smoke inhalation. The fire department says the blaze spread throughout the apartment and into the attic.

Due to the size of the building, more help was called in from neighboring towns. Firefighters got the flames under control about an hour later. One firefighter did have to be taken to the hospital for minor injuries.

Next door at the Quarterdeck restaurant, there was almost a full house inside Monday night. Customers were enjoying dinner when they started to smell smoke. The owner started evacuating people and that’s when he quickly noticed the flames and realized how big the fire was next door.

“We were combing our building downstairs checking our electrical panels and then we could smell a strong odor of smoke and then we saw major flames coming out on Main St,” said Bob Jarvis, the owner of the Quarterdeck restaurant. “The fire department came in and they quickly started telling people to vacate so that’s what we did and everybody got out safe and sound.”

The businesses below have smoke and water damage. All utilities have been shut off and no one can live here.

The inspector and someone from the health department will be on site Tuesday morning to check the structural integrity of the building.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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