15 families displaced after fire tears through Lawrence neighborhood

Fire tore through multiple triple-deckers in Lawrence around 10 p.m. Friday.

Lawrence Deputy Fire Chief John McInnis said four triple-deckers on Crosby St. caught fire and two buildings on Salem St. were also damaged.

In total, 15 families were displaced.

“When they first got on scene, the third-floor of one of these houses was completely involved, and then it started spreading,” witness Gary Huber said. “You just couldn’t see anything, it was very heavy smoke.”

Whipping winds Friday night caused the flames to spread quickly from building to building.

McInnis said firefighters also encountered some water issues with low-capacity fire hydrants in the area. They had to go further down the road to find hydrants with a better water source.

McInnis said the fire started at 22 Crosby St. and spread to three other triple-deckers on Crosby St. Two buildings on Salem St. also sustained some melted siding.

McInnis said two triple-deckers on Crosby St. will have to be torn down and two others can likely be salvaged.

No one was hurt in the fire. In total, it took about four hours for firefighters to control the blaze.

The State Fire Marshal, Lawrence Fire Investigation Unit, and Lawrence police are all investigating. McInnis said investigators will be back on the scene Saturday to try to figure out what sparked the blaze.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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