Hopkinton firefighters battled a brush fire Tuesday afternoon on Hayden Rowe Street. PHOTO/HOPKINTON FIREFIGHTERS LOCAL 3772

The Hopkinton Fire Department on Tuesday afternoon knocked down a brush fire on Hayden Rowe Street at approximately 3 p.m.

While the main fire was put out, firefighters were still on the scene dealing with smoldering and potential hot spots later in the afternoon.

“It was mostly contained in a 70-foot-by-70-foot wooded area near some fencing,” said HFD Chief Gary Daugherty in a phone interview with the Independent Tuesday evening. “The cause was that was that a resident had a permit for a fire earlier in the day. The resident thought that the fire was completely extinguished, but an ember continued to burn.”

The fire chief noted that this was “the second fire this week” of this type. He stressed that residents should make sure that any permitted fires are completely extinguished.

In a phone interview with the Independent late Tuesday afternoon, HFD Lt. John Sheridan noted that the town has been experiencing a drought. High temperatures likely were a factor, he explained, because the wood is very dry.

In a 3:03 p.m. email to residents, Jed Fenneuff, the Water and Sewer Department manager, stated that hydrant use near 86 Hayden Rowe Street may cause discolored water in the area of the brush fire. He advised people to flush the cold water tap only until the water runs clear.

Tuesday was a hectic day for the HFD. Early in the morning, HFD and the Westborough Fire Department responded to a crash on Interstate 495 southbound near West Main Street. That was at approximately 5:41 a.m.

Sheridan, who was on the scene, said the passenger of the pickup truck had to be extricated with the Jaws of Life. The driver, Sheridan noted, was “walking and talking, which is a good sign.”

The passenger was taken to UMass Medical Center, the nearest trauma center, due to injuries, Daugherty added.