In the searing heat of a Somerville Sunday, a residential blaze on Wheatland Street has left more than 20 locals without a roof over their heads. According to NBC Boston, the fire erupted on a triple-decker, with flames devouring the building's rear porches across all three levels. Despite the sweltering heat with temperatures north of 90 degrees, no injuries were reported as firefighters from Somerville, supported by squads from Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, and Medford, combated the inferno and a coincidental water main break that complicated their efforts.
"I lost all my money, my clothes, I don't have nothing," one of the displaced residents lamented in an interview obtained by NBC Boston. The heat had forced the evacuees to remain outside for hours, with 27 individuals now wrestling with the loss and uncertainty in the aftermath of the fire. Illustrating the intensity of the situation, Melissa Poudel told NBC Boston, "The fire was very big it was definitely billowing out of the windows and by the time I was calling I think it was spreading to our house." Her family had been proactive in alerting their slumbering neighbors to the imminent danger.
A further account by WHDH confirms that the conflagration originated on the home's rear porches, which rapidly spread, and the responsive actions were amplified due to the day's intense heat. Rescue operations included saving a "grumpy" grey cat, with neighbors recounting firefighters' successful efforts to retrieve the pet from the premises slated for boarding up that same night.
While more than 20 people reel from the sudden displacement, the cause of the blaze remains a mystery, under active investigation. This wasn't an isolated incident; neighbors mentioned a previous fire at the same location just weeks prior. Both NBC Boston and WHDH report that the American Red Cross is working to aid those affected as they navigate through this period of unexpected upheaval and search for new shelter.
