PEABODY, Mass. --
Crews in Peabody battled a massive apartment fire on Thursday afternoon.
The fire broke out at the Highlands at Dearborn complex at 8 Dearborn Road at about 4 p.m. Thursday and quickly grew to four alarms as it consumed the entire building. Thick black smoke could be seen 13 miles away in Boston and Burlington.
No injuries were reported in the fire.
The large five-story multi-building complex is located near the routes 128 and 1 interchange. The fire caused a 17-mile backup on Route 128, and heavy delays on Route 1. Commuters were urged to seek alternate routes.
The mayor's office said displaced residents are being asked to report to the Fairfield Club House on Dearborn Road where the Red Cross and other support services would be on hand to help. About 60 residents lost their homes and at least two dozen units were destroyed in the blaze, the mayor's office said.
The Highlands, owned by the Simpson Property Group, is a newly-constructed luxury apartment complex with one- to three-bedrooms units, according to its Web site.
"The community management is on site. They are working with the fire department at this time to extinguish the fire and take care of any residents who may be displaced by the event," Venita Dehaven, vice president of Simpson Property Group, said in a statement.
Although the fire was contained to one building, nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution.
The cause of the fire is not known.
In March 2007, a fire broke out at the same complex causing $1 million in damages. Fire investigators said that accidental fire started near a gas meter. No one was injured in the blaze.
Copyright 2008 by TheBostonChannel.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Related Training Links
- Understanding the Lightweight Truss
- Truss Roofs: Do You Know Where the Firefighter Killer Hides?
- Ventilation of Today's Fire Buildings is Crucial
- Understanding the Dangers of Lightweight Truss Construction
- Webcast: Firefighter Safety with Lightweight Building Construction in 2007
- Webcast: Manage and Improve Your Fireground Operations
- Webcast: View from the Street
