QUINCY, Mass. — Firefighters in Quincy battled a blaze that ripped through a large home on Thursday afternoon and displaced a family of eight.
Firefighters had to step back from the burning home and take a defensive approach when the fire shot up into the attic and through the roof.
Firefighters could be seen dousing the multi-story Belmont Street home shortly before 4:00 p.m.
“We saw big flames shooting out of the side of the house and the roof, said neighbor Denise Fasoli.
“Lucky they kept it contained at the house and it didn’t spread,” Amanda Fasoli added.
Continuous plumes of smoke filled the neighborhood as residents were asked to avoid the area.
When the smoke finally settled, and the flames were out, the extent of the devastation was clear to the family of eight, some of them young children, who saw the loss as they got home from school.
“Our hearts go out to the family,” Quincy Fire Chief Joe Jackson said. “This will be a total loss, I’m sure. Everyone got out. Eight people and one dog.”
Chief Jackson says the fire appears to have started on a back porch between the front of the home and a garage but fire investigators still haven’t determined a cause.
Jackson added this is the same house that was hit by lightning about a decade ago and in the process of repairing damage caused by that, an addition was added to the back of the home.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW