Police officer credited with helping residents escape burning home on North Shore

NEWBURYPORT, Mass. — A police officer is being credited with helping residents escape a burning home on the North Shore early Monday morning.

Newburyport Police Sgt. Megan Tierney was driving down Spofford Street just after 3:30 a.m. when she spotted flames shooting from a home and alerted her fellow emergency officials.

Tierney and other responding officers started banging on the doors and windows of the group home to wake everyone inside.

The Newburyport Fire Department said all residents, including four women with special needs, made it out safely thanks to Tierney’s actions.

“I try to keep my eyes on all different parts of the city on all different parts of the night,” Tierney said. “I’m just glad that I was on Spofford Street at the moment that I was. I think the fire would have grown to a much larger degree before any of us would have known.”

The home suffered exterior damage but the flames didn’t spread inside the structure. The residents were moved to a new location in Amesbury.

“The fire was growing on the deck, we had a heavy fire. Megan was in the area and her quick thinking was able to get them out, alert us, and we were able to get here pretty quickly and contain it,” Newburyport Fire Chief Stephen Bradbury said.

There were no reported injuries in the blaze.

An investigation is ongoing.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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