CAMBRIDGE, MASS. (WHDH) - A raging, multi-alarm blaze tore through a home in Cambridge on Monday afternoon.
Crews responding to a report of a fire on Meacham Road found flames shooting the roof of a multi-story structure as smoke filled the entire neighborhood.
The fire broke out near the back of the home and quickly spread up through the roof, causing a partial collapse, according to fire officials. Asphalt shingles beneath the vinyl siding helped accelerate the blaze.
“It appears underneath the vinyl siding is the old-style asphalt shingles which in the fire-business have been referred to as gasoline shingles for many years because of the way in which they burn,” Fire Chief Gerry Mahoney said.
Crews battled the flames for about two hours before they were able to bring the fire under control.
Two families were able to escape the home without injury thanks to neighbors who rushed to the rescue. One firefighter suffered minor injuries but is expected to be OK.
“I was gonna rush to grab our fire extinguisher, but then I looked outside and the whole side of the building was on fire so I was like ‘this isn’t gonna work,” neighbor Ian Steenstra said.
The heat from the flames melted the vinyl siding of the home next door.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.
(Copyright (c) 2024 Sunbeam Television. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)