WORCESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - Fifteen people were forced from their homes early Friday morning after fierce flames ripped through an apartment building in Worcester.
“I’m glad I got my kids out alive. We lost everything,” resident Kayleigh Rankovic told 7News. “These aren’t even my shoes or clothes I’m in.”
Officials said the blaze started as a small basement fire and quickly worked its way up to the roof of the West Street building.
Officials also had to pull firefighters out of the building because it started to collapse. With heavy smoke pouring out, crews were forced to attack the flames from the outside.
Battling the fire proved difficult for firefighters after three hydrants froze over, according to Fire Chief Michael Lavoie.
“There’s nothing we can do with a frozen hydrant,” Lavoie said.
There were no smoke alarms in the building, according to Lavoie. No injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire was not immediately known.
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