EVERETT, Mass. — Two women were found dead after an early morning fire in an Everett triple-decker, according to the fire chief.
Everett firefighters showed up shortly before midnight to find a blaze that had spread throughout the building at 87 Madison Avenue.
Fire Chief Tony Carli said residents of the first and third floors got out of the building, but the residents of the second floor weren't accounted for earlier in the morning.
"We do have reports of people missing, but we haven't been able to get inside and investigate," he had said shortly before 5 a.m. Monday morning.
The fire department later confirmed two women were found dead after the fire.
"Upon secondary search of the second floor, our crews discovered two adult female casualties," Carli announced later in the morning.
A next-door neighbor told Boston 25 News she knew the two women. She said she believes the two were disabled and were battling health issues.
The first crews on scene got into the building, but couldn't get to the fire, Carli said. Firefighters had to retreat and work to contain the fire to that building.
"Once the fire got into that roof area, it's very stubborn," Carli said. "There's a lot of void spaces, it's an old building."
Power and gas were shut off to the street early Monday morning and would likely remain off until the fire could be fully contained.
Carli said the building inspector was on scene, along with the state fire marshal's office and state police.
The Red Cross was also on scene to help families displaced by the fire.
The victim's names have not been released.
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