Lawrence family describes intense moments when running out of their burning home

LAWRENCE — A Lawrence family is lucky to be alive after they ran out of their burning house before the flames got intense.

And from the outside of the now destroyed triple decker, it doesn’t paint the picture of what the families just went through emotionally.

“We ran for our lives,” said Felipe Pichardo.

Eighteen people lived in this multi-family home on Champlain Street in Lawrence.

“I was ready to fall asleep, because I work in the night. And I heard outside something was burning,” Pichardo said.

He was nearly in tears as he stood next to his 12-year-old son and shared their story.

“I didn’t know what to do,” he said. “It was hard, there was no solution that you can see the fire burn.”

One neighbor saw the fire and ran to help.

“It was bad. From 1-10, it was like 9,” said neighbor Jesus Joseph.

Lawrence Fire Chief Brian Moriarty said things could have been worse.

“We were lucky in a way, the wind was blowing away from the exposure,” Moriarty said.

Fire officials told Boston 25 News that the fire started around 4:30 p.m. in the afternoon on the second floor.

“We were able to surround the building. We were not able to save the building,” Moriarty said.

The fire victims lost everything.

“Our bed, and clothes… everything,” said Felipe Pichardo Jr., 12.

His father said he lost “the key for my vehicle, my cell phone, and my IDs.”

Thankfully, the fire chief said everyone made it out safely.

But again, the wind direction really helped the firefighters. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

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