BOSTON (WHDH) - Officials say two people were killed early Wednesday morning after a massive fire sparked by careless smoking broke out in a North End apartment building.
RELATED: Woman says roommate never made it out of North End apartment after fatal fire
Fire crews said they noticed fierce flames burning on the third floor of the five-story brick building on Hanover Street when they arrived at the scene around 1 a.m. The blaze quickly spread, devouring the building.
The fire was caused by the careless disposal of smoking materials on the second floor, according to investigators. Officials said it was a challenge to battle the flames.
Several other residents were hospitalized with various injuries and 12 people in total were displaced by the fire.
“There was a lot going on all around the building. The problem down in this neighborhood is the inaccessibility. You really can’t get at a lot of the courtyards and the rear of the building, so it makes it very difficult,” said Deputy Chief Michael Ruggieri.
A 58-year-old man was killed after becoming trapped in the building, fire officials said. The man’s roommate said he was trying to extinguish the flames and that he never followed her out to safety.
“He’s like ‘help me, help me put this out,’ and I started filling up a pan of water but it was just useless and so I said we have to go, it’s just too big,” the woman explained.
She said she then ran out of the building where she called 9-1-1.
“I thought he was coming behind me but he must have still been staying to put the fire out,” she said.
Also killed was 33-year-old Peter Smith, who was forced to jump from a fifth-story window. He was taken to an area hospital, where he died. Smith worked in Boston as a bonds analyst for Wilkins Investment Counsel.
“We’re in shock around here,” John Wilkins said about the news of Smith’s death.
Crews used a ladder to rescue a mother, father and their 3-year-old toddler from the building. They were taken to the hospital and are expected to be OK, officials said.
“They got a lot of people out of there safely. It’s a tragedy. It’s Thanksgiving. To think that we have two people dead, it just breaks your heart,” said Boston Police Commissioner William Evans.
The Red Cross is assisting those who were displaced. Officials estimate $1.5 million worth of damages following the fire.
Investigators said the fatalities are the first fire-related deaths in Boston this year.
The apartment building has since been boarded up.
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