Official Somerville Fire Department information on the Clarendon Hill Housing / Powderhouse Blvd. fire

At 11:05 p.m. on Sunday, August 10, the Somerville Fire Department was alerted to a fire at 268 Powderhouse Boulevard. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy fire in a second-floor apartment with multiple occupants reportedly trapped. A second alarm was called. 

 “A lot of work had to happen in a short amount of time to produce a successful outcome. This was an excellent response by Somerville Fire crews,” said Chief Charles Breen. 

Crews’ work included stretching hose lines to control heavy fire in the originating apartment unit and prevent it from spreading, raising ladders to rescue trapped occupants needing help at windows, and searching through near zero visibility and high heat to locate a missing occupant.  

Three adults were removed over aerial ladder, one child was removed over ground ladder, one occupant jumped from the third floor onto a mattress provided by another resident, and one unconscious occupant was pulled by firefighters from the third floor. Firefighters also rescued one cat. Four occupants were transported to local hospitals for treatment, and four Somerville firefighters suffered minor injuries.  

The three-story apartment complex, a public housing building, sustained extensive fire, smoke, and water damage. A total of 9 apartment units were deemed uninhabitable, displacing those residents. 

The investigation indicates that the fire is not suspicious and most likely started with an unattended candle: https://www.mass.gov/.../somerville-fire-most-likely... 
 

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Photo Courtesy of the Somerville Fire Department.