Worcester firefighters had to knock out the walls on the upper floor and in the attic space to extinguish the two-alarm residential blaze Sunday.
September 20, 2021 – By Brad Petrishen – Source Telegram & Gazette
WORCESTER, MA — Thirteen people were displaced Sunday afternoon following a two-alarm fire at a three-decker on Hitchcock Road, city fire officials said.
The Fire Department responded to 18 Hitchcock Road around 3 p.m., finding everyone from the residence already outside and fire on the top floor, District Chief Charlie Rogacz said.
Firefighters extinguished the blaze after knocking out walls to get to flames inside the walls in the third floor and attic, Rogacz said.
The job was made trickier on account of the roof being knee-walled, Rogacz said, a configuration that makes reaching the fire more difficult.
Rogacz praised firefighters’ work using axes to hack through the slate roof to aid the effort.
Rogacz said the third floor sustained fire damage, while the lower floors had mostly smoke and water damage.
A collection of neighbors watched as firefighters shot plumes of water from the roof that flowed down the exterior of the building’s walls and reached the street.
As smoke stopped pouring from the roof, firefighters brought out medications to one of the displaced residents. Rogacz said the Red Cross would be called if any of the 13 residents needed assistance.
William Pena, who lives at the home with numerous family members, including his wife and two children, spoke to investigators shirtless on the warm afternoon.
Pena said he was getting a haircut when his son called him and told him the house was on fire. He said he did not know when he might be able to go back inside.
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