Canonchet Road Home In Flames

An unoccupied home at 324 Canonchet Road was fully involved when the Hope Valley Fire Department was called to the scene shortly before 8 p.m., Tuesday.

The fire has been called suspicious by fire officials. Hopkinton police are investigating.

Dozens of firefighters from Hope Valley-Wyoming, Ashaway, Exeter and Carolina were fighting the blaze, which could be seen from a great distance. Firefighters immediately called the state fire marshal to examine the house. Although crews were working quickly to extinguish the blaze which had gotten a big head start.

The Rhode Island Red Cross was being called to assist the homeowners.

The Hopkinton building inspector was also called to the scene to look at the structure.

Three hurt in SUV vs. Motorcycle Crash

On August 23rd, 2008

A fiery SUV and motorcycle crash sent three people to area hospitals on Saturday night, and remains under investigation.

The crash occurred on Tower Street at the intersection of Narragansett Avenue shortly before 8 p.m.

A Nissan Pathfinder traveling north toward Oak Street collided with a motorcycle traveling south toward Granite Street, according to Westerly Police Lt. Shawn Lacey.

The driver of the motorcycle, a Westerly man, was transported by Life Star helicopter to Rhode Island Hospital for multiple fractures to his legs, he said.

The motorcycle’s passenger, a North Kingstown woman, suffered minor injuries – including having her teeth knocked out – and was transported by a Westerly Ambulance Corps crew to the Westerly Hospital. The woman was wearing a helmet, police said.

The driver of the SUV, a Westerly man, was not injured. His front seat passenger hit her head and was transported to The Westerly Hospital. Police said she was nine months pregnant with a due date of today.

“None of the injuries appear to be life threatening,” Lacey said at the scene.

Lacey said the investigation remained incomplete at press time, though it appeared that the SUV had turned left onto Narragansett Avenue in front of the motorcycle’s path.

The impact of the collision caused the motorcycle to catch fire. Smoke could be seen blocks away at the intersection of Narragansett Avenue and High Street, according to witnesses.

Police said individuals attending a party at an abutting Narragansett Avenue house rushed to the aid of the injured. Some, they said, happened to be emergency medical technicians.

Larry Byron said he was at the party and heard the blast.

“I heard a pop and you knew the explosion was with it,” he said. “We ran and just started pulling people away (from the fire).”

Westerly Fire Department crews responded to the 7:49 p.m. call and quickly extinguished the blaze. The motorcycle could be seen compressed into the blackened, front passenger side of the SUV. Both the motorcycle and the front half of the SUV were charred from the blaze, and the driver’s side tire appeared melted into the asphalt.

The Life Star helicopter landed at nearby Westerly High School.

Ashaway MCI Drill

On April 19th. Ashaway had a MCI drill for one of it's members Senior project.

The overturned church bus held children - some dead, some critically injured, and all of them pretending, to help train the Ashaway Fire Department.

The drill for the local fire and rescue departments were in a gravel bank off High Street known as Donny Brough's Pit, the bus a defunct church bus to be flipped on its side, for a dozen children to simulate injured and frightened children, and for the Ashaway Fire Department to come to the rescue.

The following departments were there to assist in the training. Ashaway Fire Association, Ashaway Ambulance Association, Charlestown Fire, Bradford Fire.