Large fire burns homes in Swampscott

SWAMPSCOTT, Mass. — Fire ripped through multiple homes on the north shore Saturday, sending smoke into the air visible for miles.

Firefighters said aging infrastructure made fighting the flames difficult, along with the wind.

"I ran inside holy smokes...the house across the street's on fire," said Griffin Tooher.

Firefighters working to extinguish the flames, which reached four alarms and affected two homes on Bay View Drive. The neighborhood sits on a high hill, making it vulernable to the gusty wind.

But the biggest problem, the fire chief said, was lack of water because of old infrastructure and bad luck; two water mains broke while crews fought the fire.

"My whole house is filled with smoke right now," said Mike Johnson, a neighbor.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Cox Media Group