About 2 a.m. on March 1, fire was reported to have broken out at Whitinsville’s Lasell Manor, 120 Hill Street.

According to the Grafton Fire Department Facebook page, the five alarm fire had reached the roof when mutual aid communities reached the site. Grafton’s Engine-1 and Tower-1 responded to the scene on a night when temperatures dipped into the teens.

At this time no injuries have been reported. The State Fire Marshal’s office and the Fire District 7 investigating team was called in.

“We are relieved to report that all residents & guests who were inside the manor exited safely and there are no known injuries at the time of posting,” Estate of Mind, an artists’ collective that occupies the property posted on Facebook.

The sprawling mansion, was built in 1890 for Chester Whitin Lasell, president of Whitin Machine Works from 1887-1932. The Shingle style property had over 20,000 square feet of living space, with 23 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms.

The building has had several owners over its 134 years; it last sold on Nov. 1, 2021 for $1.35 million according to listing service Realtor.com. The property comprising 25 acres was assessed by the town of Northbridge at $935,000 at the time.

The Diocese of Worcester was once an owner and, among other uses, operated the house as a retreat space.

The property was sold by the owners of Riverdale Mills Corp, a local wire manufacturer to Clarence Risher, a Google software engineer who planned a co-living space. 

Billing itself as “Estate of Mind,” the co-living residence is described on its website as an “intentional community of artists, creatives and makers, with a focus on collaborative projects and events.

The venue was open to the public for various performances and could be booked for gatherings.