By Tiffany Williams –
Tuesday night Worcester Firefighters around 11:30 PM responded to a report of a structure fire at 3 Hancock Street with reports of people trapped.
Worcester Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Adam Roche said, “On arrival, firefighters found fire on the first floor of the building and extending throughout the building very quickly.”
“There were three to four people, residents of the building, trapped on the third floor. They self-rescued down the front stairwell,” said Roche. “The Worcester Fire Department initiated an aggressive interior attack on the fire and interior search of the apartments. During that search, the Worcester Fire Department found two people who were immediately transported to a local hospital for evaluation. Their condition currently is unknown.”
The two people trapped on the first floor were transported by Worcester EMS, and Worcester City Manager Eric D. Batista’s office Wednesday morning said, “Despite the valiant efforts of Worcester Firefighters, the Department has confirmed that the two residents succumbed to their injuries.”
“The fire was under control within 20 minutes, about 15 minutes we had the fire under control,” said Roche. “But the conditions were so far ahead of the firefighters that it was really a struggle and hoarding conditions did not lend to a convenient operation. It really hampered the firefighting operation.”
Two Worcester Firefighters were also injured and taken to the Hospital by Worcester EMS.
“The fire was under control within 20 minutes, about 15 minutes we had the fire under control,” said Roche. “But the conditions were so far ahead of the firefighters that it was really a struggle and hoarding conditions did not lend to a convenient operation. It really hampered the firefighting operation.”
Four adults and three children are confirmed by the Worcester City Manager’s Office to have been displaced.
Worcester EMS said a cat and a dog were also rescued.
Two people outside watching, who live at 906 Main Street, said that their house had caught fire just a couple weeks earlier. That fire they said started in the basement.
Wednesday night’s fire, the City Manager’s Office said, “The fire went to two alarms and is currently under investigation.”