Firefighters in Beverly, Massachusetts, were called into action early this morning as flames engulfed a 1 1/2-story home at 3 Berkley Ave., leaving one woman with burns serious enough to require hospital treatment. WCVB reported initially that a Good Samaritan, heading to a medical appointment before 7 a.m., was the first to spot the fire and alert the authorities.

The Beverly Fire Department rapidly responded to the scene, the blaze was already heavy on the second floor when they arrived, its ferocity hinted at by billowing smoke captured in footage from the scene, however the department's Chief Peter O'Connor said, "The first crew who arrived found heavy fire on the second floor coming out of the side of the house," according to a statement obtained by WCVB. A neighbor reportedly played a critical role in assisting with the evacuation of the home's occupants prior to the firefighters' arrival.

Despite the intense conditions, the fire was knocked down within 10 minutes after crews attacked from the second floor; however, significant additional efforts were required to locate and extinguish hidden fires within the structure. "Conditions inside the house required significant additional work to locate and extinguish hidden fires," fire officials detailed in an account provided to Boston 25 News.

One woman, whose identity has not been disclosed, was transported to the hospital for the burns she suffered; she was conscious and alert at the time of transport, the fire chief mentioned in a statement obtained by Boston 25 News. No firefighters were injured during the response to the blaze that demanded courage and swiftness, the personal risk inherent in such endeavors shadowed by a practice of bravery so often repeated it seems almost routine but is anything but.

Authorities have not yet determined the cause of the fire and investigations are ongoing; this story is developing, and updates are expected as new information becomes available.