One firefighter is dead and another was seriously injured today after both jakes were caught in a three-alarm blaze in Worcester that broke out before dawn, fire officials at the scene tell the Herald.
The flames were whipped by this morning’s wind gusts as the apartment complex on Arlington Street burst into flames. Lt. Gov. Tim Murray and representatives from the state Fire Marshal’s office are now at the scene.
The fire broke out in the three-story complex before dawn and at least one of the firefighters was reportedly trapped when a wall gave way inside the building.
A Worcester fire chief at the scene told the Herald this morning that one firefighter had died from his injuries and another was in the hospital being treated. No word was immediately available on that man’s condition.
The fire is now out and the damage appears to be mostly in the back of the triple-decker. The building remains smoking, but fire officials say all inside got out in time.
Firefighters rushing to the scene braved the flames to help rescue about a dozen people inside, that is when at least two jakes were trapped themselves when a wall gave way, officials said.
"The firefighters of Worcester are no strangers to tragedy. And today, unfortunately, the dangerous calling these firefighters took the oath to do has left us devastated once again," said Edward Kelly, president of Professional Firefighters of Massachusetts.
Kelly, the former Boston firefighter union boss, is at the scene of the Worcester blaze today and he added: "We ask the people of Worcester and well as the people of the Comonwealth to keep Worcester firefighters and their families in their prayers."
Today’s firefighter fatality comes only days after the 12-year anniversary of the death of six Worcester firefighters who perished in a city warehouse on Dec. 3, 1999.
By Joe Dwinell and John Wilcox
The Boston Herald
*The Holyoke Firefighters Local 1693 would like to offer our condolences and prayers to the famly and fellow firefighters of our fallen brother.
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