The side of a red and white fire engine with a telephone symbol and the numbers 9 1 1 painted on a roll up compartment door
Stock photo. Photo: Envato Elements

FALL RIVER Developing, 10:05 p.m. Nov. 14, 2026.

One person was taken to a hospital and a family was displaced after a fire in the basement of a multi-family home on Anthony Street in Fall River on Saturday afternoon, according to Fall River EMS and the Fall River Reporter.

Fall River EMS said in a Facebook post Saturday, which the Fall River Reporter also quoted, that its Medic 3 took one patient to a local hospital. EMS said firefighters stayed to overhaul the building and help the department's Fire Investigation Unit, with Fall River police handling traffic.

The fire was called in over the radio at about 2:34 p.m., and dispatchers relayed early in the call that people were being evacuated from the home and that a dog was reported still inside. Engines 2, 4 and 5, Ladders 2 and 4, Rescue 1 and a fire department command car were sent, and Engine 9, Squad 11 and Medic 3 were added as the call went on.

The command car, Car 3, arrived at about 2:38 p.m., took command and reported smoke coming from the home. A few minutes later crews reported fire in the basement and stretched a hose line around the back of the home and in through the back door. Police were asked to move a cruiser on Anthony Street so fire trucks could get through.

At about 2:46 p.m. a request went out over the radio for the electric and gas companies, a fire investigator and the city's building department. Crews reported at about 2:51 p.m. that they had found access to the attic and were checking it for fire, and at about 2:55 p.m. they radioed that the main body of the fire was out and that they were checking for extension.

The Fall River Reporter, which described the building as a multi-family duplex, reported that a resident went back inside to get the dog, that the fire was held to the basement and that it was under control in about 30 minutes. Citing the Fall River firefighters union, the Reporter said a nozzle on the first hose line malfunctioned and delayed the attack until a second line was in place.

The Reporter also reported that a family was displaced and is staying with relatives, and that two of the family's cats were being treated at an emergency veterinarian for smoke inhalation, citing a fundraiser the family started. The cause is under investigation, the Reporter said.

What we know

  • A fire in the basement of a multi-family home on Anthony Street in Fall River was called in at about 2:34 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, according to the dispatch.
  • Fall River EMS said its Medic 3 took one patient to a local hospital.
  • Crews radioed at about 2:55 p.m. that the main body of the fire was out and that they were checking for extension, meaning any spread of the fire.
  • A fire investigator, the building department and the electric and gas companies were requested over the radio.
  • The Fall River Reporter reported that a family was displaced and that the fire was held to the basement.

What we do not know yet

The Fall River Fire Department has not said what started the fire, how the patient was hurt or how that person is doing, how many people in the building were displaced or whether the dog is safe, and we will update this story as the department shares more.

Label: Reported by us, from the town's posted records.

Notes

The facts here come from the Fall River fire and police radio traffic heard Saturday afternoon, Nov. 14, 2026, between 2:34 and 3:11 p.m., on two separate feeds, from the City of Fall River EMS Facebook post on the fire, and from two Fall River Reporter reports, at 3:30 and 9:13 p.m., which are credited where we use them; under SC360's standard, a department's own radio traffic confirms what was dispatched and observed, and Medic 3, which EMS said took the patient, was one of the units sent to Anthony Street on the radio. We name no one, leave out the house number and report the hospital transport only as EMS and the Reporter stated it. We checked the date and weekday against a calendar. Not heard yet: the Fall River Fire Department on the cause, the patient's condition and the number of people displaced. Updated 10:05 p.m.

Corrections

No corrections to this story. If something here is wrong, tell us. Every correction is dated on the story and listed in our public log.

Sources (5)
  1. City of Fall River Emergency Medical Services | FacebookFall River EMS post, Sat. Nov. 14, 2026: "Medic 3 was needed to transport 1 pt to a local hospital." The post also says fire crews were working overhaul and assisting the Fire Investigation Unit, with Fall River police on scene for traffic control.
  2. Bristol County Fire and Police (Fall River, Tiverton, Westport) | BroadcastifyFall River fire and police radio, Nov. 14, 2026: 2:34:45 p.m. "[house number] Anthony Street, I have fire at the residence and evacuated"; 2:36:56 p.m. "report of a fire at the residence ... Anthony Street. Got a report of a dog still inside the residence ... engines 2, 4, 5, Ladder 2, Ladder 4, Rescue 1, Car 3"; 2:39:18 p.m. "Car 3 is on the scene, Car 3 will be command. We have smoke coming from" the home and "We see Medic 6 if you want to respond as well with Medic 3", with Squad 11 also responding; 2:38:14 p.m. "still trying to evacuate people ... Send me another engine company"; 2:42:32 p.m. "Fire is requesting the cruiser be moved on Anthony. Trying to get through."; 2:51:40 p.m. Rescue 1 "we found access to the attic ... Checking the attic"; 2:58:19 p.m. "Are you able to check for any extension? That's affirmative." Radio traffic from 2:34 to 3:11 p.m., from SC360's transcript of the feed.
  3. Fall River PD talkgroup, bristolco system | OpenMHzNov. 14, 2026: 2:38:20 p.m. "Car 3 is on the scene ... assuming command"; 2:39:15 p.m. "Engine 9, responding"; 2:42:14 p.m. Engine 4 "Reported that the fire's in the basement"; 2:43:44 p.m. "Command, engine 2, let's take one around the back. We have fire in the basement"; 2:44:54 p.m. "they're taking a line through the back door"; 2:45:59 p.m. "Engine 5 to command, electric gas, investigator and building response"; 2:54:52 and 2:55:07 p.m. "Main body of the fire is out. We're checking for extensions." Radio traffic from 2:38 to 2:55 p.m., from SC360's transcript of the feed.
  4. Fall River Fire Department battles afternoon blaze at multi-family duplex | Fall River ReporterFall River Reporter, Nov. 14, 2026, 3:30 p.m., updated 5:35 p.m.: the building as a multi-family duplex, a resident going back in to retrieve the dog, the bulk of the fire knocked down within about 15 minutes and under control in about 30 minutes, and the electric and gas companies and the building and fire inspectors called; the update quoted Fall River EMS that Medic 3 took one patient to a local hospital, and the Fall River firefighters union that the nozzle on Engine 4's first hose line would not open and a second line had to be deployed.
  5. Fall River family displaced, cats at emergency vet after afternoon fire | Fall River ReporterFall River Reporter, Nov. 14, 2026, 9:13 p.m.: one person taken to a local hospital by ambulance; the fire contained to the basement and a nozzle malfunction on the first hose line that delayed the attack until a second line was deployed, according to the Fall River firefighters union; a family displaced and staying with family, and two cats at an emergency veterinarian for smoke inhalation, according to the family's fundraiser; the cause under investigation.