LAWRENCE, MA—Old electrical wiring was cited as the cause of a two-alarm house fire that displaced seven residents, injured five firefighters and caused an estimated $150,000 in damage early Sunday at 2 May St.
Deputy Chief Chief Kevin Loughlin said an aggressive attack and offensive operation required two hours of "bullwork" to put the fire out.
No residents were hurt but five Lawrence firefighters suffered minor injuries.
Two received second-degree burns to the head area, one had an arm injury, one had a shoulder injury and one firefighter was treated for chest pain. All but one were treated and released from a local hospital.
"There was heavy smoke showing on the third floor when we arrived and we made an aggressive interior attack with hose lines and opened up the walls and ceilings and eventually put it out," Loughlin said. "There was extensive damage to the building, but it is salvageable."
The three-story building's balloon-style frame construction made the challenge of fighting the fire tougher. A resident called 911 to report the fire at 7:29 a.m., Loughlin said.
"With balloon construction, there are no fire stops," he said. "The fire can travel in any direction, horizontal, vertical or even downward."
"The men did a great job suppressing the fire," Loughlin added. "We put it out with manpower. We just kept opening walls and ceilings and rotating manpower until it finally went out."
A second alarm was struck for mutual aid provided by Andover, North Andover and Methuen.
The American Red Cross provided aid to those who were displaced.
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