The expansion of Start Line Brewery into the space formerly occupied by Water Fresh Farm took a scary turn on Jan. 29 when a fire broke out in a second-floor maintenance closet at the building located at 151R Hayden Rowe St.

The Hopkinton Fire Department responded quickly after being alerted by the alarm monitoring company shortly before midnight and prevented major damage from occurring. No injuries were reported.

“The blaze was confined to the left side of the large building and went through the floor joists,” Deputy Chief William Miller said. “Crews went inside the building to douse the blaze and stopped the flames from spreading to other portions of the building.”

After an joint investigation by the Hopkinton Fire Department, the Hopkinton Police Department and State Police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal, it was determined that a malfunction of the gas heater — a natural gas forced hot air furnace that serves as the building’s only heat source — was responsible for the blaze.

— ED THOMPSON