Massachusetts

15 Displaced After Massive Fire Tears Through Worcester Building

More than a dozen people were displaced Friday morning following a massive fire at a multi-unit home in Worcester, Massachusetts.

The fire broke out at the 3-story building on West Street just after 4:30 a.m. and quickly reached 3-alarms.

"We woke up to the fire alarm, when we went outside there were other tenants standing out there saying there was smoke coming from the ground," said second-floor resident, Lorion Ocean.

Crews spent hours battling the blaze in frigid temperatures as flames shot from the basement, all the way through the roof.

When the roof collapsed, firefighters were forced to work from the outside.

"There’s a lot of void spaces in the top floor and once it got there, it’s hard to get into the attic," said Worcester Fire Chief Michael Lavoie."We basically just lost the building at that point."

Officials said their biggest problem was dealing with frozen hydrants.

"There’s nothing we can do with a frozen hydrant," Lavoie said.

No injuries were reported, but 15 residents, including children, were displaced.

A family dog thought to have died in the blaze was eventually found — covered in soot and a little burned — but otherwise OK.

Nearby Becker College opened its doors to keep the fire victims warm. The college is where several tenants attend.

"We have provided them with housing on campus, as well as provided them with toiletries, basic essentials and so on," said Amy Dean of Becker College.

The exact cause of the fire is under investigation.

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