Strong winds fuel fires at multiple homes in Lowell, Massachusetts

Strong winds fueled fires at multiple homes in Lowell, Massachusetts on Tuesday afternoon. Two firefighters were taken to the hospital for heat exhaustion and smoke inhalation and at least 25 people were displaced.

According to Lowell Fire Chief Phillip Charron, the fire started at an apartment building on Bridge Street shortly before 3 p.m.

Officials say no residents were injured in the fires. Since it happened in the middle of the day, many people told WBZ they were out of the building at the time.

However, the damage didn't just stop here. Charron said five other homes in the area were also affected due to strong winds and dry conditions. 

"The wind was blowing from Bridge Street up towards the hill and it carried fire and embers up over the three-story building and two adjacent streets, Wachusett Street and also May Street which is two blocks up," Charron said.

All of the buildings have been searched, and all of the residents have been accounted for.  

"All of a sudden, my daughter was inside the house, and she just called me and said, 'fire, fire, daddy, fire, fire!' and you know it was all like very fast," said resident Arthur Gituku.

Firefighters from as far away as Salem, New Hampshire and Burlington responded to help get the fires under control.

The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.  

Lowell is a city in Massachusetts about 25 miles north of Boston.