Residents of a 3-story wood frame building at 119 Pacific Street were swiftly evacuated as a working fire consumed their residence on the afternoon of Friday, June 7th. Firefighters from Engine 2 launched a rapid assault, employing a deck gun to suppress the ferocious blaze that had overtaken the upper floor, additional crews confronted the blaze indoors.
According to a statement by the Cambridge Fire Department, the searches of the building confirmed all occupants were safe and without harm, however, the fire resulted in several individuals being displaced, their lives uprooted by an event now under the scrutiny of investigators. Companies that participated in battling the Pacific Street fire included Engines 2, 5, 1, & 3; Ladders 1, 2, & 4; Rescue 1; and Squads 2, 3, & 4, while Engine 6, tied up at a separate incident, was later called in as the fire detail company.
Cambridge Police officers were on the scene to help with the regulation of both vehicular and pedestrian traffic, ensuring the safety of those in the vicinity; Pro EMS was at the ready for medical emergencies that did not transpire. Additionally, the presence of Cambridge Inspectional Services and the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA), the latter for coordinating detours around the impacted area, reflected the multi-agency response to the fire.
The initial alarm rang at 12:54 pm, Somerville Fire Engine 3 and Ladder 1 covered Cambridge's responses during the firefight. The blaze is now extinguished and residents coming to terms with the aftermath.
