WALTHAM, MASS. (WHDH) - A Waltham apartment complex crumbled over the weekend and crews are beginning to search for the cause of the massive blaze.
Around 4:00 a.m. Sunday five brand new apartment buildings, still under construction in Waltham, burnt to the ground.
“The whole top of that building was on fire,” said Millie Cericola, “I mean as high as those trees on fire.”
Waltham fire crews responded fast. They knew no one was living in the burning building but there were some serious concerns for the buildings next door, including the elderly housing complex where Cericola lives.
“I banged on everybody’s door,” said Cericola, “4:00 o’clock and I said ‘get out get out there’s a fire.'”
“You know at the height of it we made a commitment that we would stop it,” said Waltham Fire Chief Paul Ciccone. “In the end we would save these businesses and we did, so we achieved our goal.”
Now the attention turns to the pile of rubble left behind.
Critics say the city should never have approved a wood construction of this size and it is unclear how long it will take before crews can even start to think about rebuilding.
“The investigation is painstakingly slow,” said Ciccone.
There is no word on any cause, but officials say it doesn’t appear suspicious. Three firefighters suffered minor injuries while fighting the fire.
Hear more from witnesses in the video below:
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