A three-alarm fire tore through a vacant three-family house at 132 Savin Hill Avenue in the Savin Hill section of Dorchester on Saturday, sending a towering column of smoke over the neighborhood that could be seen from multiple spots across Boston. Flames raced up the back of the wood-frame building as dozens of firefighters and multiple ladder and engine companies battled to knock the blaze down.
Fire department response
The Boston Fire Department said crews initially responded to reports of smoke at 132 Savin Hill Avenue, then quickly struck second and third alarms to keep the fire from spreading to nearby exposure buildings, according to a tweet from the Boston Fire Department. Officials said the fire “burned through all rear porches and interior rear stairs” while crews chased hot spots and worked to shield neighboring structures.
Damage and investigation
As reported by WCVB, the three-family house at 132 Savin Hill Avenue was vacant and took heavy damage to its rear porches and stairways. The outlet noted that smoke from the blaze could be seen for miles. Officials said the cause of the fire remains under investigation and that it was not immediately clear whether anyone was injured.
Neighborhood reaction
Local message boards quickly lit up with photos and eyewitness reports as engines and ladder trucks crowded Savin Hill Avenue near the T station. A thread on Reddit and other neighborhood feeds shared video of the towering plume and the heavy firefighting response.
What comes next
Fire investigators are expected to remain at the scene to pinpoint where the blaze began and to estimate the extent of the damage, according to officials, who asked anyone with video, photos or other information to contact investigators. This story will be updated as more details are released by local outlets, including WCVB, and by city officials.
