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Rockland firefighters rescue residents and pets from house fire

ROCKLAND, Mass. — Firefighters in Rockland rescued a teenage girl and a woman from a third floor apartment during a house fire Friday morning.

The fire department responded to a call for a house fire at a multi-family home at around 8:30 a.m. at 77 Division Street.

At the scene, firefighters saw a 16-year-old girl yelling for help from a third floor window as heavy smoke billowed out.

Firefighters used a ladder to rescue the girl and bring her back down to safety.

Inside the building, on the third floor firefighters found a 19-year-old woman who had been blinded by the smoke and couldn't reach the door. Firefighters then helped her out of the apartment and to safety outside.

Both residents were taken to South Shore Hospital for smoke inhalation and are expected to fully recover.

“Thanks to the quick actions of our firefighters we were able to get these two girls to safety," said Rockland Fire Chief Scott Duffey. "The apartment was full of smoke by the time we arrived and the girls were unable to get out. I want to commend the brave work of the responding firefighters for the great job they did today.”

Preliminary investigation suggests the fire started in the kitchen. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation but fire officials say it appears to have been accidental.

No other occupants were inside the house at the time of the fire. Multiple dogs and birds were also rescued from the home and taken into the custody of the Rockland Animal Control Officer.

The fire was contained to the kitchen, largely in part because of a water pipe that melted in the flames.

“This could have been a lot worse if that pipe had not melted,” Chief Duffey said. “The pipe acted as a sprinkler system would, keeping the flames down until we arrived on scene.”

The Red Cross is assisting the residents of all three units who have been displaced due to smoke and water damage throughout the building.

Chief Duffey estimated the damage to the building at $70,000.

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