Firefighters responded after a multi-alarm blaze broke out at a building in Roslindale, according to the Boston Fire Department.
Crews were battling flames around 6:05 p.m. Thursday evening at the two-story house on Delford Street, and Boston Fire said a second alarm had been ordered.
The fire was knocked down around 6:50 p.m., with the fire department correcting the address from Washington Street to Delford Street.
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Sky25 was over the scene as firefighters were on the roof of the building with flames and smoke pouring out.
Fire officials say neighbors are lucky the flames didn't spread through the entire row of town homes, thanks to the way the home was built.
"If the firewalls weren't there, the fire would have definitely spread," Boston Fire Chief Scott Wahlen said.
Fire officials say two neighboring town homes were destroyed by flames, but said they luckily didn't spread any further.
Kenny Wiggins said he was in disbelief when his sister called him saying the house they shared was up in flames.
"First, I didn't believe my sister when she called me," Wiggins said. "Then I FaceTimed my mom and she was outside just going crazy."
Wiggins shares the Delford Street home with his family, and said he knew no one was home, but said his beloved animals were inside.
"I knew everyone was okay because I was the last one to leave the house, but I was so worried about the animals," Wiggins said. "We have birds, too."
Firefighters rescued Wiggins' pet turtle, named Shell-Shocker, just in time.
"I just seen the fireman walk out with the turtle and I just grabbed her," Wiggins said.
Fire officials said eight adults and three children were displaced between the two damaged homes, and crews rescued two people who were inside at the time.
"They brought them down the stairs, they were kind of panicked because of the smoke," Wahlen said. "There was a lot of fire in the rear."
Fire officials also said the fire started in the rear of the building, but said the cause of the incident remains under investigation.