Blaze quickly put out at Swampscott assisted living home

SWAMPSCOTT – A strategically placed sprinkler head prevented what could have been a major tragedy when a fire broke out at the Bertram House, an assisted living facility on Humphrey Street, early Sunday morning.Fire Investigator Robert Faulkner said the fire started on an outside porch that was covered by a roof on the third floor and was caused by careless disposal of smoking materials.”Someone put a cigarette out in a plastic plant pot filled with potting soil,” he said. “There was also a bag of potting soil mix on top of the pot. The fire burned down through the plastic pot and through the decking. Fortunately there was a sprinkler head right above where the fire started so a major tragedy was averted. The sprinkler head activated and extinguished the fire.”Faulkner said the fire department received the call at 2:40 a.m. and cleared the scene at 3:38 a.m.”The damage is estimated at $5,000,” he said. “And no residents were displaced as a result of the fire.”Faulkner said residents were sleeping when the fire broke out and everyone is extremely lucky it was contained by the sprinkler.”The Bertram House is our worst nightmare,” he said. “It would be very difficult to get non-ambulatory residents out especially at night when there aren’t as many staff members on duty.”