BOSTON (WHDH) - A fire that broke out Thursday morning at a homeless camp on Storrow Drive forced city officials to temporarily close the Mass. Ave bridge.
Crews responding to the eastbound side of Storrow Drive around 11 a.m. found burning mattresses under the bridge and heavy black smoke billowing into the air, according to Massachusetts State Police.
“You could see it from blocks away,” said Kristine Eno, who witnessed the fire. “People were running down the sidewalk. It was huge.”
Eno and Chafik Hamadeh say a homeless man came into their store just before 11 a.m. asking to call 911.
“He was complaining to 911 that there were some people under the bridge that he didn’t want there. He said it’s his home. A few minutes later, the fire started,” Hamadeh said. “People were running down, it was huge.”
The bridge was closed for more than two hours as engineers inspected the bridge for structural damage after the fire was extinguished.
All lanes in both directions have since been reopened, according to MassDOT.
There were no reported injuries.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
Some say the fire brings attention to the area’s homeless population.
“It’s sad that they’re out here. It’s winter,” said concerned resident Katie Staley. “I know there are resources for them, but not everyone has the ability to take advantage of those.”
Eno added, “Thank God nobody was hurt. The firefighters, the policemen, the other people that have no other place to sleep.”
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