BOSTON (WHDH) - Firefighters worked tirelessly to battle a raging, three-alarm blaze that tore through a triple-decker home in Dorchester early Friday morning that contained what fire officials called “extreme hoarding conditions.”

Crews responding to a reported fire at 77 Romsey St. around 4 a.m. found heavy flames coming from the third floor of the home.

Firefighters went on a defensive attack after being ordered out of the building as it became engulfed in flames, according to Boston Fire Chief of Operations Andre Stallworth.

“Another challenge was we had the hoarding conditions,” he said. “After we did the primary searches and the aggressive attack, we had to back everybody out because the third-floor was heavily involved. We had to go defensive at that point.”

Crews worked to prevent the fire from spreading to any adjacent buildings.

“The houses in this neighborhood are really close together,” neighbor Emma Miller said. “I was like, ‘I don’t want this to spread anywhere because so many people would be hurt; so many people would be displaced.'”

The lone occupant self-evacuated and no injuries were reported, Stallworth said.

The damage to the home is worth about $500,000.

The cause remains under investigation.

This fire came several hours after a multi-story home went up in flames on Stonehurst Street in Dorchester.

Two firefighters were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

This is a developing story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest information.

 

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