Fire damages 5 multi-family homes in Dorchester
BOSTON - Five multi-family homes were damaged by fire on Holiday Street in Dorchester Monday afternoon. Two of the buildings are a total loss, fire officials said.
Everyone got out of the buildings safely and the heavy fire was knocked down by 5 p.m. Thirty-five residents have been displaced.
One woman says her dog woke her up when her apartment caught fire. She says there was thick smoke, and she was terrified.
"I was sleeping, and my dog started barking real crazy," the woman said. "The kitchen window just started popping and flames were shooting everywhere. I just grabbed her and ran out the door."
As the thick smoke filled the sky, good Samaritans like Mac Brown ran to the danger, banging on doors to get his neighbors to safety.
"We all bum rushed the door to try and kick the doors open," Mac Brown said. "We got one door open and yelled and yelled and we couldn't get in."
Firefighters say the fire quickly spread from one building to another as several rear porches collapsed in the process.
The intense fire sent one firefighter to the hospital for evaluation. First responders say luckily the wind was on their side, helping them contain the blaze faster.
"Thank God there wasn't a lot of wind today because the overall fire ended up damaging five buildings and we have over 35 people displaced, and the crews did an excellent job," said Boston Fire Chief of Operations Rodney Marshall.
As evacuated families waited on the street trying to process the situation, Boston Mayor Michelle Wu stopped by the neighborhood offering her support.
"Just to speak with the families and feel the sense of devastation and shock," Mayor Wu said.
Even though families lost their belongings, they're all grateful no one lost their life. "In a split second it could have been, could have been tragic but God knew better and it wasn't," Mac Brown said.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
