Gas-fed fire forces evacuation of Duxbury care facility

A two-alarm fire and gas leak forced the evacuation of residents at an Alzheimer’s care center in Duxbury Thursday morning, officials said.

Seventeen residents were evacuated by seven staff members from the Duxbury House on Kingstown Way, said Carla Roudabush, a spokeswoman for the Welch Healthcare and Retirement Group, which owns the facility.

No one was injured. All residents were taken to the Bay Path Rehabilitation & Nursing Center, located in an adjacent building and also owned by Welch, Roudabush said.

The fire and gas leak were reported at about 10:15 a.m., the Duxbury Fire Department said in a statement.

Firefighters arrived to find a gas-fed fire at the back of the single-story building. The blaze had spread to the attic space and a small basement area. The flames in the attic were contained by sprinklers in the building, the Fire Department said.

Firefighters had to wait for the utility to shut off the gas on the street before entering the building. They were hampered by large snowbanks, but all hydrants were accessible, officials said.

The gas leak was caused by a heavy snow load that had pushed the meter away from the building and snapped the pipe, the Fire Department said. The gas was ignited by a furnace in the basement.

Property damage was estimated at $500,000.