PEABODY – A one-alarm fire broke out inside a third-floor unit of a mixed-use building that houses the Northeast Arc’s Breaking Grounds coffee shop on Peabody’s Main Street Wednesday at morning
The fire broke out at 7 a.m. inside a residential unit at 65 Main St., which is off Littles Lane, Deputy Fire Chief Robbie Benevento said.
“It was a quick fall and there was a lot of damage to the units below because of the sprinkler system,” he said.
The fire was contained to that unit, Benevento said. The Red Cross was on the scene to help the building’s 36 residents, who are now all displaced due to water damage to the building, Benevent reported.
One man was taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation, but that injury was minor, he said.
Main Street remained closed between Foster and Washington streets as firefighters battled the flames, Peabody police posted on the department’s Facebook page.
Crews were still at the scene investigating where the fire originated and the cause of the flames as of 10:30 a.m.
Two employees and two guests were inside Breaking Grounds when the fire broke out, said Tim Brown, director of innovation and strategy for Northeast Arc. The walk-in store is a training ground for people with developmental disabilities to work in the food service industry.
Breaking Grounds sustained extensive water damage and will be closed for at least the week as crews repair the damage. Because there is no power in the building, Northeast Arc is currently unsure if there has been any damage to their equipment.
“We are very grateful to the city of Peabody, the fire department. For responding immediately and putting this fire out before it got any worse than it really was,” Brown said. “We are grateful that all of our neighbors who live upstairs and are part of our larger family are safe and secure.”
The incident remains under investigation.
Contact Caroline Enos at CEnos@northofboston.com and follow her on Twitter @CarolineEnos.
