Three families are homeless and a community is heartbroken after a tenant lost her life in an early-morning apartment building fire in Boston.
The fire broke out around 6 a.m. Saturday on the third floor of a building on East Canton Street. Everyone inside was awakened by fire alarms.
"Some of them were crying, some of them were coughing," said Paulette Sadberry, who rushed out of the building next door.
That's when she found out a friend of more than 10 years didn't make it out.
"She lost her life this morning," said Sadberry. "I can't believe it. It's unbelievable."
Fire officials say the woman was found trapped in the bathroom. Her husband suffered burns on his head.
Sadberry was able to see the victim's husband and daughter before they were rushed to the hospital.
"I immediately gave the little girl a hug and I held on to her because I noticed that she was not completely dressed," she said. "I offered my condolences."
Officials believe this was Massachusetts' 20th fire fatality since January.
Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn says recently, there has been an uptick in fire deaths at buildings without working fire alarms or detectors, but that was not the case Saturday.
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Investigators continue to look in to why the fire broke out, while Sadberry's focus is on the grieving family.
"All I know is that a life was lost today," she said. "How that happened, why did it happen, it doesn't matter now. All we need to do is pray for the family and offer our condolences and support."
Two more people were treated for non-life threatening injuries. Two other apartments had to be evacuated due to smoke damage.
Damage to the building is estimated at $100,000.
Police and fire officials are investigating the cause of the fire, which appears to have started near the bathroom of the apartment.
