The Somerville Fire Department was called to the inferno at a Highland Avenue complex around 11 p.m., battling flames on the first floor of the building which housed over 50 units, according to NBC Boston.
Upon arriving, the rescue team encountered smoke cascading throughout the structure and had to forcibly enter the apartment to reach the two individuals trapped inside. Fire Chief Charles Breen reported, "There was some smoke throughout the building, but it's been cleared out," noting that the rest of the building’s occupants could return, except for the two rescued, who have been displaced, as per a statement given to NBC Boston. Both of the apartment's occupants were taken to the hospital, their conditions unknown, and a firefighter also sustained injuries, though they were not considered life-threatening by Chief Breen.
A sprinkler system had managed to contain the fire to just one apartment. This critical intervention, allowed the vast majority of residents to return safely to their homes after the fire was extinguished. The injured firefighter along with the two victims were transported to the hospital for medical evaluation, confirmed by WHDH.
They located a man on a couch and, employing a thermal imaging camera, found a woman in one of the bedrooms, accounts from WCVB revealed. Moreover, the injured firefighter has since been treated and released from the hospital. The cause of the fire is still under active investigation with fire officials working to determine what sparked the late-night blaze.
