70 Displaced By Three Separate Overnight Fires In Boston
BOSTON (CBS) – A total of 70 people were displaced as firefighters battled three overnight fires throughout the city.
Flames first broke out at a Dale Street home in Roxbury just after 3 a.m. Heavy fire was reported on the third floor of the 6-family building.
WBZ-TV's Lisa Gresci reports
Nineteen people were displaced as the fire caused about $500,000 in damage.
"They did a good job of knocking it down very fast but we had to chase a lot of hot spots throughout the building," said Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn.
Just before 6 a.m., another fire sparked up in VFW Parkway in West Roxbury. The building is a 3-story apartment building.
"Somebody came around and banged on the windows: 'Get out of the house, the place is on fire!'" said one resident who awoke to a man screaming for residents to get out of the building.
That man turned out to be an off-duty Boston firefighter who lives in the apartment building with his wife. It was quick action that probably saved lives.
"He was knocking on doors getting everybody out. Don't forget, when we showed up, this was all fire," said West Roxbury Fire Chief Scott Wahlan.
Gas fueled the fire until it could be shut down. One resident and two firefighters were taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
A total of 36 residents were displaced. The fire caused about $2 million in damage.
While firefighters knocked down the West Roxbury fire, another broke out on Groom Street in Dorchester.
That fire started in the basement, burned through a rear stairwell and eventually ripped through the roof. Rescues were made, but no one was injured.
"Upon arrival, we had heavy smoke coming from the front, fire in the rear and people hanging out the windows on the second floor," said Dorchester Fire Chief Erik Pettaway.
The three fires do not appear to be connected.
