Multiple people rescued from burning building in Winthrop
Multiple people were rescued Friday as flames burned through part of a building in Winthrop, officials said.
In all, officials said four people were taken to hospitals after crews used ladders to get people to safety. The conditions of the people who were rescued were unknown as of Friday afternoon.
Deputy Fire Chief Stephen Calandra said the fire started in a third floor apartment before spreading to the fourth floor of the building.
Cell phone video showed the flames burning, sending smoke rising into the air.
Elsewhere, pieces of insulation ended up stuck in nearby trees after the fire response.
Calandra said the building had no sprinkler system inside, as it is an old building.
Officials said 115 people live in the building. All the residents were accounted for as of Friday afternoon, though some pets were still missing.
“I’m just so upset,” resident Debbie Pilchar said. “I don’t know if my animals are dead or alive. I don’t know if they’re going to let me back in the building. I have no place to go.”
Calandra said manpower was the biggest challenge during the response, adding that the closest fire hydrant to the fire was 500 feet away.
“It’s always manpower,” Calandra said. “But we had great help from all the communities around us.”
The cause of the fire was unknown Friday as an investigation continued.