Several People Jump From Second Floor To Escape Somerville House Fire
SOMERVILLE (CBS) – Several people were forced to jump out windows to escape a burning home in Somerville early Friday morning.
Flames broke out just after 2:30 a.m. in the three-story house on Appleton Street.
The fire chief said there was heavy fire on the rear porches coming across the third floor when they arrived. People were also leaping out of second floor windows.
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Dave Queenan, who lives across the street, said he saw at least three people jump.
"The desperation of trying to escape, I mean that fire was going fast. They had every reason to be jumping out of those windows, it probably saved their lives. They were lucky that the worst injuries I think, were some smoke inhalation and some ankle damage," Queenan told WBZ-TV.
Resident Adam Lawrence escaped out the front door.
"I looked at the back door first and that's where the majority of the fire was, the majority of the flames. and so, thankfully, the front entrance was perfectly clear," he told WBZ.
"There was smoke coming through second floor and so that's where I think I got the majority of smoke in my lungs, but I made my way down the stairs and made sure the other people I was living with were also accounted for."
Resident Josh Williams said he's just glad to be OK.
"As soon as we realized what was happening we just wanted to get out safely as soon as we could," he said.
Seven people were taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Gowri Vijayakumar said she wasn't able to salvage much from her burned apartment. She said she really only got away with the pajamas she was wearing when the fire started.
There's no word yet on what caused the fire.
A resident told WBZ part of the house was being used as an Airbnb, a fact later confirmed by the company once the exact address of the building at 8 and 10 Appleton Street was clarified.
"We are reaching out to both our guests and hosts to make sure we are doing everything we can for them. The entire Somerville community is in our thoughts during this time of need," spokesperson Crystal Davis said in an email to WBZ.