Cold Creates Challenges for Crews at Newton, Mass. House Fire

(NECN: Brendan Monahan, Newton, Mass.) - A few sentimental photos were just about all that was salvageable after a fire ripped through a Newton, Mass. home Saturday.

"This is devastating, the whole neighborhood's affected by it," said neighbor Kathleen Marotta.

"Moved very fast. Very fast," said Newton Fire Assistant Chief Paul Chagnon. "It was going good when we got here, it was coming out the windows."

Chagnon says flames quickly spread through the walls of the home after starting in the kitchen.

"Apparently, it was an electrical issue caused by a dishwasher," said Chagnon. "Sixty-five-year-old man tried to turn his dishwasher on, and it didn't work, so he went down and tried to set the breaker, and that didn't work. So I guess he went to take a nap or something and he smelled smoke, and when he went down to his kitchen, he had fire in his kitchen."

Crews doused the home in water, but that water quickly turned to ice.

Chagnon said temperatures in the teens led to dangerously slippery conditions.

No injuries were reported to the man living in the home or firefighters on the scene.

The Boston Sparks Firefighters Association was brought in to keep firefighters hydrated and warm.

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