CHELMSFORD, Mass. — A Chelmsford family was able to escape a raging house fire Friday after a good Samaritan who was on his way to get his morning coffee spotted smoke and alerted everyone inside.
Crews responding to a report of a fire on Quigley Avenue found flames shooting from a multi-level home and thick black smoke pouring out of the building.
Video from the scene showed firefighters on ladder trucks dousing the flames with water.
By the time the flames burned up the front of the house, everyone inside had escaped thanks to a good Samaritan.
“I went and started banging on the doors and beating on the windows and yelling at people. No one was answering so I just started breaking windows, ”Donald Brier said.
Brier was going to get a coffee this morning when he saw smoke billowing from the two-family home.
“I had to step in a few feet. God, I have more respect for these firefighters than ever because that smoke is just as hot as those flames,” Brier said.
Neighbors woke up to screams and then captured stunning video of the intense flames. They also saw Tom Riccio’s parents running from their home.
“I grew up here for most of my life with my parents,” said Riccio, the homeowner’s son.
Riccio’s family lives on one side and rents out the other to a family friend. That side is where the fire was raging.
“They are devastated, just like I am. They lost everything,” Riccio said.
Riccio said he’s grateful that he has his family thanks to the good Samaritan who stopped.
“I consider him a hero because I still have my mother, father, my sister, and her fiancée,” Riccio said.
“The real heroes are the firefighters. I just helped everyone get out,” Brier added.
Firefighters said the fire started at the back left of the house. They are looking into the cause, and if the smoke detectors were working.
The home was left heavily charred and it appears to be a total loss.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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