Fearing Street resident Barbara Hathaway went outside of her house after hearing a loud noise and saw that her neighbor’s building at 85 Fearing Street was ablaze, she said. “All I saw was the whole top of the roof in flames.”

The house fire was put out without any reported injuries, according to Onset Fire Chief Jeffrey Osswald. 

The Onset Fire Department received a phone call at approximately 2:31 p.m. with a report of a house fire. At the same time, an Onset Fire Department truck came across the structure fire while driving through the neighborhood, said Osswald.

Due to the size of the fire, the Department called for backup from neighboring departments including Wareham Fire, Bourne Fire, Plymouth Fire, Marion Fire, Carver Fire, Middleboro Fire and Falmouth Fire. Wareham EMS, Wareham Police, Massachussets State Police, Mattapoisett Fire and Sandwich Fire also assisted in the emergency.

The fire damaged two vehicles, a shed and two abutting properties, said Osswald.

“The potential was there for a very significant issue,” said Osswald.

However, firefighters managed to extinguish the blaze, and the fire was declared out at approximately 5:04 p.m.

Initially it was unknown if anyone was still in the building, but a police investigation determined that the building had been evacuated, said Osswald.

Hathaway said the residents of the house got out and called the fire department. “They lost everything,” she said. 

The Onset Fire Department is working with Wareham Police and state police to determine the cause of the fire, according to Assistant Fire Chief Howard Andersen. Andersen said the cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it appears to be accidental in nature. 

The Red Cross was contacted to assist the homeowner, Osswald said.