Residents jump from windows as blaze tears through multi-family home in Taunton

TAUNTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Fire crews battled a house fire in Taunton Tuesday night that displaced 11 people.

Crews responding to a reported structure fire at the multi-family home on Harrison Street around 8:20 p.m. found residents jumping to safety out of second-floor windows, according to Taunton Fire Lt. Eric Nichols.

Heavy smoke and flames could be seen pouring out of the house more than two hours after the blaze was sparked. Firefighters worked to ensure the flames did not spread to any other home in the area.

The house is over 100 years old and part of the roof collapsed under the pressure as firefighters worked to extinguish the blaze.

“This was a significant fire,” Fire Chief Timothy Bradshaw said. “Anytime that we go defensive on arrival, the home is going to sustain significant damage and that is going to be the case here.”

Those families who were forced out of their homes say they escaped with their lives but not much else.

“We lost everything,” resident Marie Pearson said.

One firefighter was treated at the scene for a heat-related condition. He is expected to be OK.

“At this time right now we believe everyone got out of the building safely,” Nichols said.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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