Brockton Center Street apartment building fire under investigation

BROCKTON — Authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that broke out outside an apartment building under construction and spread inside the building Friday morning.

Fire Chief Brian Nardelli said firefighters responded to a report of a fire at an apartment building at 157 Center St. shortly after 6 a.m.

“We had heavy smoke and fire when we got to the front door,” Nardelli said. “It appears the fire started on the exterior stairs. They were able to put out the exterior fire fairly quickly, but it spread inside, where they had to do some pretty extensive renovation work to put it out all fire.”

There were no occupants inside the building because it is under construction and no one was injured, the chief said.

“It doesn't seem suspicious, except it was outside, where there's no other reason to have a fire,” Nardelli said. “There's no electrical components there or anything like that. It's under investigation because we don't know if someone triggered it or if it was maybe by negligence and irresponsibility I wouldn't say there was malicious intent until we finish the investigation, but we shouldn't have a fire outside on the steps at 6 a.m.