Firefighters brave frigid conditions to extinguish multi-alarm Jamaica Plain blaze

BOSTON (WHDH) - Fire crews fought through the extreme cold to extinguish a multi-alarm blaze that ripped through a home in Jamaica Plain on Thursday, leaving six people displaced.

Crews responding to a reported building fire at 49 Boylston St. about 4 p.m. found flames shooting from second-floor windows and thick smoke billowing into the air, according to the Boston Fire Department.

Video from Sky7 HD showed several firefighters surrounded by smoke on the roof of the home as they worked to knock down the blaze.

Noah Bondy said his pug, Belinda, alerted him to the fire.

“It was really hectic,” Bondy said. “I left the house without a jacket. “It’s kind of ironic a fire puts you out of your house on the coldest day of the year.”

The fire, which is estimated to have caused about $400,000 in damage, left six residents and two dogs displaced.

“Within 10 minutes, it seemed to spread pretty quickly,” neighbor Sarah Martin said.

One of the dogs pulled from the home was given treatment at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

Fire officials say the bitter weather presented a problem for firefighters when water quickly turned to ice.

“All of our pumps and hoses can’t be shut down because it basically freezes instantly,” one firefighter said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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