SOMERVILLE, MASS. (WHDH) - Two firefighters were hurt in a smoky, five-alarm fire that shut down half a dozen businesses in Somerville overnight Monday, according to the property owners and the Somerville Fire Department.
Someone walking down Broadway Monday night said they noticed smoke coming out of the door of a Brazilian steakhouse on the street. At approximately 10 p.m., it was destroyed, as well as an adjacent barber shop. Both were popular minority-owned businesses in the area.
The steakhouse was owned by a woman in her 70s. The son of the property manager said her business has been here for 10 years.
“It’s a lady that’s so passionate about her cuisine. Unfortunately, the day that she doesn’t open, this happens to her. She’s usually closed on Mondays, and this happened to her, and it was very sad,” said Luis Morales Jr., the son of the property owner.
A Santander Bank also sustained heavy smoke damage, according to Somerville Fire.
Somerville Fire Chief Charles Breen said he believes the fire started in the basement of the building. He said the first floor collapsed into the basement, and the roof caved in, creating an incredibly smoky scene that made it difficult for firefighters.
Fire crews from several surrounding communities, including Medford and Revere, also responded to the scene.
“This was an extremely stubborn fire. Normally we’re not in our fire suit this long,” Breen said. “The fire was up in the walls, and up in the ceilings, and under the roof.”
“I really thought that the whole block was going to get burned down,” Morales said.
Breen said all of the businesses in the area were closed and no rescues were necessary, but two firefighters were hurt.
“We had two firefighters injured, they got electrical shock,” he said. “We had difficulty shutting off power to the building. They were transported to the hospital, but they have been released, they’re doing okay.”
Part of Broadway remains closed at this time as crews are still on scene making repairs and clearing the area.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
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