LYNN – On Friday afternoon, a fire broke out on Chestnut Street in Lynn, causing severe damage to two homes and two cars. Firefighters were alerted to the scene at 1:30 p.m. and quickly responded to the call, but the flames continued to shoot from the buildings for hours.
Lynn Fire Chief Dan Sullivan described the blaze as “pretty stubborn,” and firefighters worked hard to prevent the fire from spreading to a third home that was also evacuated. All ten residents of the affected buildings managed to escape unharmed.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but Chief Sullivan has not ruled out the possibility that the downed power lines played a role. “Way too early for us to figure out what caused the fire, whether it was from the electrical lines,” he said. “But the electrical lines were above the cars, so you never know.”
The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster team has been called to the scene, and additional crews are still working to extinguish the blaze. The situation is ongoing, and firefighters are still on the scene.
The fire has left the residents of the affected buildings devastated, and neighbors have expressed their sadness for those impacted. Jeff Farcheterre, a mailman in the area, described the homes as “very old” and said they “catch on fire quickly.” Mabel Rosado, who has family members who lived in the building, said the loss was “indescribable.”
“With the building construction, once it gets into the walls and the ceilings, it’s hard to find every little void where that fire is,” Chief Sullivan said. The roofs of both homes were engulfed, making it impossible for firefighters to work from inside the buildings.
The fire in Lynn serves as a reminder of the importance of fire safety and preparedness. LiveBoston617.org encourages all residents to take steps to protect themselves and their families from fire, including testing smoke detectors regularly and having a fire escape plan in place.
