MERRIMAC, Mass. (WHDH) – Fire officials say a woman who was trapped inside a burning apartment building in Merrimac on Friday morning jumped from a second-floor unit to avoid the flames.
Firefighters responded just before 9 a.m. to a three-alarm fire at an apartment on Green Leaf Drive and were greeted by flames shooting from the building.
Officials said Merrimac Police Officer Robert Coppola urged the woman to jump. Coppola and a good Samaritan broke the woman’s fall as she landed safely in their arms. Witnesses said she appeared to have an ankle injury and was shaken up but was otherwise OK. She was taken to an area hospital for treatment.
The four-unit apartment building is considered a total loss. Video from Sky7 showed a burnt out building with a massive hole in the roof. Officials say high winds fed the fire and necessitated a large response.
Five people were displaced by the fire. Chief Ralph Spencer estimated the damage at $1 million. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
No serious injuries were reported.
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