BOSTON (AP) — Fire officials are investigating a Christmas morning 5-alarm blaze in Boston’s North End.
The fire broke out shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday in the four-story apartment building on Hull Street and quickly spread to all floors. Two firefighters sustained what were called minor injuries battling the fire that was contained about one hour later.
Six people lived in the building but Boston Fire Commissioner Joe Finn said on Twitter that no one was home when the blaze started.
A dozen people living in two adjoining buildings were evacuated during the fire and will not be able to return home immediately.
Finn said the narrow streets in the historic North End neighborhood posed a challenge for fire crews. The stairwell of the apartment building completely burned away in the fire.
Finn thanked the firefighters and dispatchers who were staffing city firehouses on Christmas.
Neighbor Anthony Firicano’s car was one among three that were damaged by the fire. Visible damage included flat tires, clipped mirrors and busted fenders.
“I don’t care about the car, I’m glad people are safe and nobody got hurt,” Firicano said. “I’m about people first, but I’m a person and I don’t have much if anything and now I don’t know how I’m going to get to work and how I’m going to fix this car.”
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