A dozen residents were left homeless when a 5-alarm fire claimed their building in East Boston Friday.
There are six units in the three-story building on Chelsea Street. Two were vacant, but Boston Fire says nine adults and three children lived in the other four units.
No civilians were injured. One firefighter was treated and taken to a hospital to be evaluated.
Neighbors say it was a frightening scene.
"I got into the front doorway and you could already feel the heat," said Chris Catoggio, who lives nearby. "You could see the smoke billowing out the front apartment, and you could see the flames all in the back."
The fire caused an estimated $600,000 to the building. It's estimated that two neighboring buildings each sustained about $50,000 in damage, as well.
Investigators are working to determine the cause.
