SPRINGFIELD - A bullet struck a home Wednesday afternoon and set the building on fire.
The fire was reported at about 2:30 p.m. at 172 Belmont Ave. When firefighters arrived, they found exterior wall insulation smoldering under the siding, said Dennis Leger, executive assistant to Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi.
At the same time police were summoned to the location when the ShotSpotter audio system detected gunfire near the house, said Ryan Walsh, police spokesman said.
"It appears the most likely cause of the fire was a 'hot round' from a gunshot that struck the building," Leger said.
Firefighters removed some of the home's siding and extinguished the fire. It caused less than $5,000 in damage, he said.
No one was injured in the shooting or the fire. No one was home at the time of the shooting, officials said.
Police, who responded to the scene with multiple units, temporarily closed that stretch of Belmont Avenue while they investigated. Detectives continue to investigate.