Five-alarm fire forces more than 20 people from Rockland home; woman rescued

ROCKLAND, Mass. — One person was pulled from an overnight fire in Rockland that tore through a three-story house on East Water Street and at least 20 people have been displaced, officials said.

Heavy smoke was seen pouring from the back of 20 East Water St. in the area of the third floor, just after midnight. It quickly grew to five alarms, Rockland Fire Chief Scott Duffey said, requiring additional support from 12 neighboring communities. The building has commercial space on the first floor and residential space on the remaining two floors.

A woman who was found unconscious was rescued from the third floor, Duffey said, and remains hospitalized with minor injuries. All other residents - about 20 people, according to the Red Cross - were accounted for and no other injuries were reported.

“They made their way up from the second floor to the third floor and grabbed her and pulled her out to the first floor,” said deputy fire chief Tom Heaney.

Firefighter Mike Tracey has been in this situation before. In 2008 he was awarded Firefighter of the Year for helping rescue a woman on the second floor of a building that exploded.

The fire took about 30 to 40 minutes to contain, Duffey said. Officials initially said reports suggested the fire started in a second-floor kitchen but later said they believe an appliance in a second-floor bedroom may have sparked it. The exact cause remains under investigation.

The Red Cross says it is helping about 20 people who were displaced by the fire.

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