BOSTON — Six people, including two children, are out of their homes after a fire broke out at a house in Dorchester. Boston Fire tweeted out pictures that show the back porches collapsed. The fire department did manage to rescue a cat from the fire after it was stuck on a ledge as crews were fighting the flames.
“It’s just kind of shock, and I’m just processing everything,” said Misha Thomas, who lives on the third floor.
After a long, busy week, this was not the way Thomas pictured it would end. Thomas says it was the smoke alarms that woke everyone up.
“Everyone was asleep. It was about 2:30 in the morning,” said Thomas. “We woke up to fire alarms, so I went to go check it out, and our bathroom window was completely engulfed in flames.”
BREAKING: @BostonFire quickly put out the flames at 15 Castle Rock St. in Savin Hill this morning. Six people were forced out of their home. This cat on the ledge was saved, but another one didn't make it. The tight streets, trees and power lines made it difficult to get access. https://t.co/uAO9F0Xq8o
— Kelly Sullivan (@ksullivannews) June 18, 2021
Living on the third floor and knowing she only had moments to escape, Thomas woke up her partner, and they quickly got out.
“I let her know we have to get out of the house, we have to go on the porch right now, and then we were, kind of, stumbling around to find our way downstairs,” Thomas said.
Four other people living at Castle Rock Street, including two children, made it out as Boston Firefighters quickly pulled up to the multi-family home in Savin Hill. The fire commissioner says the heavy fire in the back caused the porch to collapse. But firefighters put the hotspots on the house next door.
“The key was getting the first line in the proper place, which they did, which prevented a much worse problem,” said Boston Fire Commissioner Jack Dempsey.
Thomas says she was able to salvage her artwork, family photos, and some essentials, but her cat did not survive. As general manager of a local cafe who was busy participating in Roxbury Restaurant Week, she says these last few days have been a lot to take in.
We just spoke to a resident who lives on the third floor of this home that caught fire in Savin Hill early this morning. She was woken up by the fire alarms. She and her partner were able to save their artwork, family photos and some essentials. Sadly, their cat died in the fire. pic.twitter.com/KwyZVdVehH
— Kelly Sullivan (@ksullivannews) June 18, 2021
“This week, in general, has been huge with like Roxbury restaurant week. Everything that I do for work, so to now be doing all of this after all of that, kind of, taking place and finally kicking off its kind of like major highs and lows within days of each other, so it’s a lot,” said Thomas.
Firefighters were challenged with the narrow streets in this neighborhood, along with the low-hanging power lines and big trees. Since the fire was heavy in the back, the commissioner says it appears it started back there, but the cause is under investigation.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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