Firefighters Fight Flames In Gloucester Home From The River

GLOUCESTER (CBS) – Firefighters used boats to attack a fire in a Gloucester home from the river as flames became too hot to battle by land Saturday morning.

Firefighters found heavy smoke pouring Washington Street home when they responded at about 10:30 a.m. after boaters on the Annisquam River saw the blaze from the water.

The home was deemed unsafe to enter by the Fire Marshal. (Photo credit: Gloucester Fire Department)

Firefighters were driven back by the intense heat of the fire, and the Gloucester Police Safe Boat and Harbormaster boats were able to take firefighters to fight the fire from the riverside.

"This fire was well advanced by the time firefighters arrived, and the terrain made the response more difficult, but all crews on scene did a tremendous job in containing and ultimately extinguishing the fire, along with the crucial assistance from the Gloucester Police Safe Boat," Chief Eric Smith said.

irefighters used boats to attack a fire in a Gloucester home from the river as flames became too hot to battle by land Saturday morning. (Photo credit: Gloucester Fire Department)

Although the fire was knocked down in about an hour, firefighters continued to put out flare-ups since they could not enter the building to extinguish and overhaul the fire. The home has been declared unsafe for entry by the fire commissioner.

The family that lives in the house was not home at the time. It is believed the family's two dogs died in the fire.

One firefighter was injured and treated and released at the hospital.