NORTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Fire crews from several area communities battled through water shortages while working to extinguish a massive five-alarm fire that raced through an old fabric mill building in Norton on Wednesday.
Crews responding to a reported structure fire at 138 Barrows St. found heavy flames and a massive plume of smoke rising above the brick building, officials said.
Dave Patton, who lives nearby, said, “We thought it was a brush fire then the smoke got darker, we noticed it was coming from the factory, one of the vents, and then we called it in.
Empty hydrants forced firefighters to run hoses from a nearby neighborhood and pump river water to the scene.
One firefighter was evaluated by paramedics and is said to be in good condition.
A group of people gathered to watch the abandoned building burn, including a man who worked there in the 1980s.
“Its kinda sad,” he said. “My father worked here, my brother, I worked here, we all worked in the boiler room.”
The State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.
Those who live nearby believe people have been trespassing in the building.
“We notice a lot of broken glass,” Patton said. “Looks like people go in there every now and then.”
No additional details were immediately available.
This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS for updates online and on-air.
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