3 Killed, 7 Injured In Springfield Apartment Fire
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (CBS/AP) — Three people have died in a major Springfield fire that forced panicked residents to jump from second and third-story windows.
Firefighters arrived at a residential building shortly after 7:20 a.m. to find residents had jumped out of windows to escape the flames, the Springfield fire department said.
"The ladder company was trying to get the ladder up. They couldn't even get it out of the bed and people were coming out the windows," said Springfield Fire Commissioner Bernard Calvi. "We had fire extending to the third floor. People were jumping out of windows upon arrival."
Four people, including a pregnant woman and a child were taken to local hospitals with injuries which are not believed to be life-threatening. Three more residents were also injured.
"During the course of the fire, we were told that occupants were missing, three occupants from the second floor were reported missing. We started a search process for those people, we have since found them, we found three bodies," said Calvi.
There were no sprinklers in the building, acccording to Calvi.
Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno says the city is working with the Pioneer Valley chapter of the American Red Cross to find temporary housing for 60 to 80 people displaced by the fire.
"My sympathy, thoughts and prayers, and encouragement out to the affected family members," he said.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)