2 firefighters injured while fighting massive 4-alarm fire in South Boston

BOSTON — Boston firefighters battled a 4-alarm fire in the city’s South Boston neighborhood, and spent most of the evening working to put out remaining hotspots.

The fire started in the basement of an unoccupied building that is being renovated on East 7th Street shortly after 5 p.m., and quickly spread to the floors above as well as an attached building that was occupied, Boston Fire officials said.

“It’s a building under construction, so there was no plaster on the walls,” said Jack Dempsey, Boston Fire Department’s Chief of Operations. “So the fire started in the basement area and quickly went up throughout the building, because there’s nothing to contain it.”

Geoffrey Spooner, who lives three doors down, ran outside with his family when he heard the commotion.

“We heard screaming, and then we looked out the window and you could see flames off the glass, the reflection,” Spooner said. “Everybody starts running up the street. I start running toward it to start banging on the doors and windows of everybody to make sure everybody’s out, because it was just starting to roll a little out of the basement.”

Heavy flames could be seen erupting from the front of the house as firefighters worked to put it out. Smoke billowed from the top of the house as the blaze traveled upwards.

Six adults and one child had safely escaped the attached building where the fire spread.

One firefighter was treated for heat exhaustion; another suffered an unspecified laceration.

The neighborhood is cramped; most multi-families attached to one another or barely feet apart.

Firefighters said the fire broke through the roof of the home and exposed a nearby building on 411 E Seventh Street to the flames.

Multiple hose lines were used to fight the heavy fire, which was knocked down just after 6 p.m. Crews continue to work to put out the remaining hotspots and secure the area.

Spooner said he believes his home was spared because of the quick arrival of fire crews.

“They’re the real heroes in all this,” Spooner said. “Thank God these guys showed up here quick enough, because, I mean, we only live three doors down. I mean, it could’ve spread the whole way.”

Fire investigators estimated the damage to be $2 million. It is unclear if the residents of the attached building will be able to return, or if their home is a total loss.

The Red Cross is offering assistance to the seven people who were displaced.

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