3 safely escape massive fire that destroyed 6,000 square-foot home in Hingham
HINGHAM -- A 6,000-square-foot home on Mann Street in Hingham was destroyed by flames on Monday. Skyeye flew over the scene where only the chimney remained standing.
It appears the fire started on the porch and a child alerted his nanny. They, along with a painter upstairs, were able to escape.
"By the time that they tried to get out, the fire was completely involved in the entire living room and quickly spread," said Hingham Fire Chief Sean Murphy.
He said it's a miracle the three of them were able to get out alive.
Responding firefighters said their first concern was minimizing damage at the adjacent home because the initial house was too far gone.
The wind created challenges for firefighters by spreading smoke and lowering visibility, the fire department said. The size of the home and its location on a hill also made it difficult for crews.
"This was a defensive attack right from the start. Based on the conditions right when we arrived on scene, there was no thought of being able to safely put anyone inside the main building here, so they went exterior," said Murphy.
Several homes were evacuated as a precaution when embers spread to nearby houses. At least four other nearby homes were damaged. Two families will be displaced, according to the fire department.
Neighbors told WBZ-TV the family just moved into the house this week.
"We just saw smoke and then within 30 minutes it seemed like the house was gone," a neighbor said.
The Hingham Fire Department had the minimum 11 firefighters working Monday, but thanks to mutual aid, about 125 firefighters responded to the scene from surrounding communities.
It's unclear what caused the fire. No injuries were reported.