A 3-alarm fire broke out at the two-family home located at 87 Linden Street, Boston, MA., just after 6:30 a.m. Sunday, and residents reported that smoke detectors had sounded during the blaze.
Firefighters arrive to find heavy smoke coming from a 2.5 story multiple dwelling with people jumping from the 2nd floor. A 2nd alarm is immediately called. While fighting the fire 2 separate "Mayday Alerts" were called, one when a firefighter fell through the stairs to the second floor and another when a firefighter fell through the second floor to the first. A civilians body was found in the attic after the heavy fire there was extinguished.
Investigators say 18 people, six of whom are Boston University students, lived in the home. A total of 9 occupants were transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. All of the firefighters were treated and released by late Sunday afternoon.
Authorities have not identified a woman who died in the fire. Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald said she was in the attic of the home.
A first responder saw a person jump from a roof to the ground to flee the flames and three others were rescued by firefighters with ladders, MacDonald said. “There was a lot of fire, a lot of black smoke, and a lot of people,” he said. “It took at least a good hour” to extinguish the heavy flames, he said. “Unless you can get holes in the roof, it just burns and burns and burns."
The fire is under investigation. Fire officials say there is an estimated $600,000 in damages to the home.
The American Red Cross was on scene to assist all those displaced by the fire.
(The usual disclaimers: I am not a journalist; This is a blog that expresses an outlook and is not conclusive in any shape or manner.)
