One person hospitalized, at least 20 displaced after five-alarm fire in Rockland
Approximately 12 nearby communities, along with state and private fire response resources, were involved at the scene.
Amid below-freezing temperatures, firefighters battled a five-alarm fire in Rockland early Thursday that displaced at least 20 people and sent a woman to the hospital.
Rockland police responded just after midnight to a multi-unit wood building at 20 E. Water Street and reported smoke coming from the rear of the structure, fire chief Scott Duffey said early Thursday. Firefighting crews were next on the scene, Duffey said, entering the building and rescuing a woman on the second floor. She was transported to the hospital and no information was immediately available about her injuries.
Rockland’s ambulance was at the hospital at the time of the fire so only a three-person crew initially arrived at the scene of the fire, Duffey said. Finish the story at BostonGlobe.com.
Due to that limited manpower and the fire conditions, it was eventually upgraded to a five-alarm fire and approximately 12 nearby communities, along with state and private fire response resources, were involved at the scene, Duffey said. No firefighters were reported injured.
“It’s a cold night; they’re all wet,” Duffey said. “Just an incredible job by all crews that have worked on this scene tonight.”
Officials from local teams of the American Red Cross were on hand to help the more than 20 people displaced, the organization said in a tweet.
Duffey said all residents of the building were accounted for and there were no victims besides the woman who was hospitalized.
Much of the fire was within the walls and in the ceilings of the building, Duffey said, and it took firefighters about 30-40 minutes to knock down the heaviest flames.
The building has residential units on the second and third floors above a commercial first floor. Residents are likely to be displaced for “quite some time,” Duffey said, but the building is sound and not a total loss.
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