Peabody Triple-Decker Fire Displaces 15 Residents
PEABODY (CBS) – A four-alarm fire ripped through a Peabody triple-decker Friday night, displacing 15 residents including eight children.
Flames broke out around 9 p.m. on Littles Lane. The building was so engulfed, firefighters had to attack it from the outside.
"(The fire was) very hot," said resident Lucas Lindolfo, "And wires started to blow up. (It was a) very big mess."
Firefighters say they ran into problems with hydrants. There are only two in the congested neighborhood, and they couldn't provide nearly enough water to put out a fire this size.
"They had fire hoses going everywhere, every direction," said neighbor Erin Stokes. "Those fire trucks couldn't get through. There are just so many cars everywhere, and not enough hydrants."
Displaced residents say the blaze was accidentally started by a young child, but fire officials have not stated the official cause yet.
"His son was playing with a lighter," Lindolfo says, "And he dropped the lighter on the floor and the curtains started shooting fire up."
No additional information was immediately available.
WBZ-TV's Christina Hager contributed to this report.