A blaze that erupted in Brockton's downtown area has left nine people without homes after it swept through an historical multi-family residence on Green Street. According to WHDH, this home was one of the earliest private homes in America to embrace the spark of electricity, with wiring attributed to the legendary Thomas Edison himself, dating as far back as the 1880s.
Firefighters were called to the scene Tuesday night to battle the conflagration, which proved challenging due to the older construction of the building. Brockton Deputy Fire Chief Kevin Galligan described the residence as "very cut up" and noted the difficulties his crew faced due to its antiquated layout. "The fire was on floor two and it extended into the attic," Galligan said. "It’s an 1870s building so its very cut up building. They’re having a lot of difficulty accessing all the areas." By around 9:45 p.m., the incident had escalated to a three-alarm fire, commanding a large emergency response.
Fortunately, all occupants of the building managed to evacuate safely on their own, with no injuries reported as a result of the incident. The structure's significance as a historically electrified home adds a layer of tragedy to the loss, highlighting a particular piece of heritage shaken by the flames.
Additional information about the fire was scarce in the immediate aftermath, though the Brockton Fire Department had disseminated an image showing flames erupting from the building's roof. This was picked up by several news outlets, including NBC Boston, who shared the visuals but had not more details at the time, including whether any residents had been injured. The stark image brought home the intensity of the blaze for those who saw the footage, sparking concern amongst the community.
