Newsletter Signup
Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com
Man found dead, 15 displaced after fire, apparent explosion in North Cambridge
Around 4:40 a.m., the Cambridge Fire Department found heavy flames consuming the apartment building at 15 Chester St.
A man died in a fire Tuesday morning at a 30-unit Cambridge apartment building that displaced more than a dozen other residents, authorities said.
Around 4:40 a.m., the Cambridge Fire Department responded and saw heavy flames consuming the building at 15 Chester St. in North Cambridge, the state’s Department of Fire Services said in a press release.
Firefighters rescued a resident who was trapped on the third floor with an aerial ladder through a window. Other residents evacuated safely thanks to working smoke alarms, the department said. Fifteen residents were displaced.
The aggressive fire was under control by 5:15 a.m. It was contained to a second-floor apartment, where the man was found dead. He was the only occupant of his unit.
Advertisement:
Witnesses heard an explosion before the fire, according to WCVB 5. Cambridge Fire Chief Thomas Cahill confirmed to the news outlet that the explosion and the fire most likely originated in the man’s second-floor apartment.
One firefighter was transported to the hospital with minor injuries; no other injuries were reported.
The cause of the fire and the man’s death is under investigation, according to the state’s Department of Fire Services.
While the 15 displaced residents are being assisted by the Red Cross and Salvation Army, much of the building is believed to be habitable after cleanup, DFS said.
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com