Firefighters Rescue Residents in Worcester, Mass. Apartment Fire -- Five Firefighters Injured

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) -- A large fire at an apartment building Thursday forced firefighters to rescue trapped residents from their windows and left five firefighters with injuries including second-degree burns.

User Photos: Worcester Four Alarmer


Worcester District Fire Chief Frank DiLiddo said he did not believe anyone who lived in the five-story building was injured in the blaze, which erupted at about 2:30 p.m. and threatened a nearby church. DiLiddo said five firefighters sustained injuries that included second-degree burns, but more details were not immediately available.

DiLiddo described the blaze as an "intense firestorm" and said firefighters aboard the first ladder truck on the scene made "several heroic rescues."


The brick building, built in the 1890s, did not have sprinklers, DiLiddo said.

At one point, embers spread to the steeple at the Pleasant Street Baptist Church next door, and firefighters were seen dousing the flames. The church did not sustain any serious damage.


Robert Brewer, one of the residents, said he was on the third floor and escaped to a hallway that was filled with black smoke.

The Red Cross was providing shelter and assistance to those who lived in the building.

Investigators were trying to determine what sparked the fire.


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Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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This is why grandfather clauses that allow building owners the option of not installing sprinkler systems should be stopped. Especially in multi dwelling units...Safety is one of those areas that should never include clauses that allow people unsafe options. If the technology to make people safe is here, then use it, this building has been housing people since 1890, I wonder how many fires it has had, and how many people since then were injured or killed because of it. Five firefighter injuries could have been avoided if just one of what I am sure have been many building owners since 1890 would have taken appropriate steps to protect tenants and safety responders.
Mike you are 100% correct. Residential fire sprinklers save lives!!!! Lets move forward with building and fire codes that require retroactive compliance!!!
My sentiments exactly
Fire sprinklers are the only way to go. It would have helped contain this fire and would have changed the fact that 5 firefighters were injured. Thankfully it was minor injuries, but we need to start looking at the future of the fire service......we aren't going to be fighting fires the way we used to or the way we do now. Times are changing, whether we want it to or not.
them are some cool vedio's

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