Jan 1, 2008 12:41 am US/Eastern
Firefighters Battle 7 Alarm Blaze In South Boston
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
Boston firefighters spent part of their New Year's Eve battling a huge blaze at a South Boston apartment building.
The seven alarm fire started around 7:30 p.m. Monday in the building at 309 Emerson Street, a four story brick apartment building.
"The alarm went off, we just came out and there was smoke coming out
the first floor unit door," said Chris Vale, who lives on the second
floor. Vale says all they could see was "very thick, black, acrid
smoke."
Mike Burggren had lived there 10 years. He was in his fifth floor unit when he smelled the smoke and headed for the fire escape. "I got down to the fire escape and saw orange light reflected off the building next door. I looked around the back and saw flames shooting out the first floor unit," said Burggren.
More than four hours after it started, flames continued to leap from the building's roof.
Firefighters rescued at least three people from the burning building, including a 47-year-old man, suffering from cardiac arrest. He was rushed to the hospital but later died. His name has not been released.
Two other people were treated by Emergency Medical Services at the scene and are expected to be fine.
The fire was so big more than 130 firefighters just from Boston, and countless others from neighboring communities battled the blaze.
Firefighters were also hampered by the narrow streets in South Boston, that made it hard to get firetrucks to the blaze.
Firefighters said everyone appears to be accounted for, however because of the instability of the building they had not been able to do a room by room search. Once firefighters arrived they were only able to get inside the for about a hour before it became to dangerous to stay there.
Investigators told WBZ the fire started in the stairwell on the first floor in the rear of the building and then quickly spread.
When firefighters arrived the flames were already shooting through the building's roof.
Six nearby buildings in a residential area of South Boston were evacuated, but did not immediately catch fire.
People living in the building next to and nearby the building have been evacuated because firefighters say the building is unstable and could collapse in any direction, at any time.
The building is near L Street, between east Fourth and Fifth Streets; a congested, residential neighborhood in South Boston.
Susan Murray, who lives nearby, told WBZ she could see flames shooting into the sky from several streets away.
The building used to be the Hotel Eaton and currently housed around 19 condo units.
MBTA buses took displaced residents to a nearby recreation center. The Red Cross was busy working on finding them shelter for Monday night as well as for the near future.
Boston Mayor Thomas Menino's office said many found shelter with friends and relatives.
Firefighters say the building is a total loss. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
Slideshow: Huge Fire Rages In South Boston On New Year's Eve
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