Police confirmed that two people died when fire destroyed an apartment building in Holyoke on New Year's day. This was one of two major fires involving apartment buildings that were reported within an hour and located bout 100 miles apart.
Holyoke Fire Capt. Anthony Cerruti told MassLive.com that the scene was "total chaos."
"When they got there, on the North East (Street) side there was fire coming out of the windows on the top two floors," Cerruti told the newspaper. "That is a lot of fire for an apartment block."
A second alarm was called before crews arrived at the five-story, block-long building around 8:30 a.m.
A woman died after jumping from a fourth or fifth story window, Cerruti said.
Holyoke police told MassLive.com that a second person was pronounced dead Sunday night and the status of two people missing is unknown.
Several people were rescued from the building and a few were injured.
Demolition crews were brought as fire investigators work to locate the two missing people.
Around 8 a.m., Lynn firefighters were called to a fire in a four-story, 26-unit building about 100 miles east of Holyoke.
Within an hour, the fire grew to five alarms, according to ItemLive.com.
By 9 a.m., firefighters were pulled from the building as heavy fire engulfed multiple floors and parts of the roof collapsed.
Two firefighters suffered minor injuries, District Chief Stephen Archer told the newspaper.
