Local

Woman killed, six others displaced following fire in Cambridge

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — An early morning fire on Wednesday, tore through a three-family home in Cambridge killing a woman on the second floor. Cambridge Fire crews moved in quickly as flames started to intensify at this three-family home on Webster Ave.  

Multiple people were able to escape on their own but the family of Maria Pacheco says the 88-year-old did not make it out.

One neighbor knew Pacheco well and could not believe what she was seeing. “When I looked out my window I could see flames coming out of the building and touching the roof on the yellow house next to it,” said a neighbor.

Pacheco’s granddaughter says her father was staying with Pacheco to help take care of her since the pandemic started. Wednesday morning the father was putting laundry in downstairs when the fire broke out but could not get back up.  Some of the family just learned about what happened as they arrived. A neighbor who knows the family saw the son trying to alert firefighters as they arrived. “It was really hard, hard. Especially this time of this year. Especially for her family. She has a large family,” said the neighbor.

Joseph Canceicao captured some of the flames from the backside of the building where fire crews say the fire was so intense it took out rear steps and collapsed porches. “Thank God there was no wind because if there was a little wind. The flame could have jumped to another house,” said Conceicao.

The family says Pacheco had mobility issues and could not get down the stairs on her own.

A neighbor told Boston 25 News Pacheco started needing more help in the past year. “She took care of her husband Joe, had a car, and took him to his appointments. He passed away and she got elderly and she had a lot of caretakers,” said the neighbor.

The state fire marshal’s office told Boston 25 News they are working with local and state police to figure out where and how this fire started.  

Officials say there were no initial indicators that the fire was suspicious in any way.

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

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