Flames ripped out of the roof of a West Street house in Boston's Hyde Park neighborhood Wednesday afternoon, sending a thick column of smoke over the block as firefighters worked from an engine ladder to knock down the blaze. Multiple units poured into the area, and as crews were photographed battling the fire, officials had not yet confirmed whether anyone was inside or if there were any injuries, as reported by WCVB.
According to WCVB, Sky5 flew over the scene and captured flames shooting from the roofline while firefighters climbed to the top of an engine-mounted ladder to attack the fire. The station's update, posted shortly after 4 p.m., reported that crews were concentrating their water streams on the back of the house. NewsCenter 5 said it has reached out to the Boston Fire Department for more details.
How Crews Take On A Roofline Fire
Firefighters often rely on aerial ladders and engine-mounted aerials to get up to flames at the roofline and vent smoke, a standard tactic aimed at limiting fire spread in wood-frame homes. As per the City of Boston materials, ladder and engine companies are central to those operations across the city's neighborhoods. Those elevated positions let crews apply water from above while other teams work inside the structure to hunt down and knock out hot spots.
Hyde Park Sees Another Major Response This Month
The neighborhood recently saw a March 14 multi-alarm blaze at Westinghouse Plaza that hospitalized a firefighter, WHDH reported. Officials had not yet released a cause for Wednesday's West Street fire when NewsCenter 5 published its update, and the station says it is seeking comment from the Boston Fire Department. We will add official details as they become available.
