By Cynthia McCormick
The Cape Cod Times
SANDWICH, Mass. — Quick thinking by a man playing Pokemon Go helped minimize damage at a Merchant’s Square building where a nail salon was destroyed by fire shortly after midnight Monday, Sandwich Fire Department officials said.
The man lived across the way from Super Nails and was in the parking lot playing the game when he saw smoke, heard a popping sound and called 911, Sandwich Deputy Fire Chief John J. Burke said.
“His quick notification definitely did” help save the rest of the building, Burke said.
Fire crews responding to the 12:09 a.m. call found unit 4, where the nail salon is located, engulfed in heavy smoke, prompting Fire Chief William Carrico and Burke to order a second alarm, according to a Fire Department press release.
Fire crews used new thermal imaging cameras to locate the main body of the fire and were able to put it out within 20 minutes, officials said in the press release.
Crews remained at the Merchant’s Square location for two hours clearing smoke and checking to see if the fire had spread to other locations in the building, which has a total of five or six units, Burke said.
One tenant in an apartment unit was displaced for the night but is expected to be able to return today, Burke said. Damage was contained to the nail salon, which was a total loss with the cost of damage estimated at $50,000 to $75,000, fire officials said.
Two of the firefighters were evaluated on the scene for heat exhaustion. In addition, the Mashpee Fire Department transported one firefighter from Joint Base Cape Cod to Falmouth Hospital, Sandwich fire officials said.
Also providing aid and station coverage were the Bourne, Plymouth, Centerville-Osterville-Marstons Mills and West Barnstable fire departments.
The American Red Cross provided refreshments to rescue crews and people at the scene.
Burke said the cause of the fire is under investigation by the Sandwich Fire Department and the Massachusetts State Fire Marshal’s office.
Copyright 2016 Cape Cod Times