4 escape Quincy fire; wind, broken hydrant hinder firefighters

QUINCY, Mass. — Four people escaped from a house fire in Quincy early Sunday morning.

Bitter cold, high winds and even a broken fire hydrant made fighting the flames tricky for crews on scene around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

What was left of the home when the sun came up was really just a shell after the fire broke out while the family was sleeping.

Thanks to the smoke alarms in the home, the whole family was able to get out safely.

Quincy Deputy Fire Chief Paul Griffith told FOX25 the smoke alarms saved their lives as the strong winds overnight quickly pushed the flames from room to room in the home.

He added without the wind, the flames likely wouldn’t have spread from more than one or two rooms.

The cause is still under investigation, but Griffith said it likely started in the basement or back deck.

When firefighters arrived, the deputy chief said they had to quickly adapt their strategy to the conditions.

“One of the hydrants is broken up the street, so there was a little water problem for a little while. Aside from that, wind was also a major factor for them,” Griffith said.

He said one man was taken to the hospital, but didn’t say what he was being treated for.

One firefighter slipped on ice and fell about 10 feet, but officials said he will be okay.

Cox Media Group