Wednesday's Lawrence house fire and collapse caused by workers

LAWRENCE, Mass. — A three-story building that collapsed in flames Wednesday afternoon in Lawrence was caused by workers cutting metal, fire investigators say.

A crew was working on a metal fire escape with a reciprocating saw when the fire began.

According to the Lawrence Fire Department, no one was in the building on Haverhill Street when the fire was reported. However, 12 people lost their home and two firefighters suffered minor injuries.

One firefighter from the first company on scene was taken to the hospital after searching through the building to be sure no one was inside.

"There was an aggressive inside attack until it was deemed, from the inside reports, that it was unsafe to be inside," Deputy Fire Chief Jack Meaney told reporters on scene. "At this point it's a defensive operation, the building has collapsed and there's multiple piles of debris still burning."

Meaney said firefighters had to pull out of the building before it collapsed. He guessed the firefighter taken to the hospital was treated for exhaustion. He couldn't say for certain and did not know the extent of the firefighter's injuries.

Homes on either side of the burning building were evacuated as a precaution, but Meaney said his crews were successful in preventing the fire from spreading to the adjacent buildings. The buildings were very close on either side so firefighters worked to keep the building contained where it started.

"It's a total loss," he said. "At this point, it's just piles of debris with everything smoldering, so we'll be here for a while."

The Red Cross has been contacted to help residents who were displaced.

Cox Media Group