PEABODY, Mass. — Dozens of people are without a home after their apartment building on the North Shore went up in flames early Thursday morning.
The massive fire inside the homes at 100 Main Street in Peabody caused problems for firefighters trying to get it under control.
Peabody Fire Chief Jay Dowling said firefighters were called to the building just after midnight. There was heavy fire when they arrived and firefighters started with an interior attack.
“This fire must have had a pretty good head start on us that’s why during the interior attack definitely pulled the guys out quickly into the call,” said Dowling.
About 30 minutes into their efforts to get the flames under control, Dowling said firefighters tried going back into the building but some of the floors and ceilings had already collapsed.
All residents and pets living in the six-family building were accounted for.
The fire got into the walls and through the roof, according to Dowling. One side of the building was left heavily charred and fully burned out.
“It’s a good size building. It has, like I said, six units in there. And if you see the front side of the house, if you pulled up on that side, you’d think there was nothing going on,” Dowling explained. “The heavy body of fire is all on the backside of this building.”
The Red Cross is helping the people displaced by the fire.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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