3-Alarm MA Fire Leaves 34 Homeless

May 26—LAWRENCE — The careless disposal of cigarettes is blamed for a late-afternoon fire that displaced 34 people Wednesday, a fire official said.

An initial report of a person trapped on the third floor of 42 Summer St. was unfounded. and no injuries occurred in the three-alarm fire that significantly damaged the apartment building, firefighters said.

Lawrence fire Lt. Michael Fornesi, a cat lover himself, rescued a pet cat from the third floor as firefighters battled the blaze.

"They did a great job ... . It went very smooth," Deputy Fire Chief John McInnis said, referring to Lawrence firefighters and mutual aid crews that responded to the city to help.

Firefighters received a flurry of 911 calls about 2:45 p.m.

When firefighters arrived, they encountered heavy fire in the rear of the building and flames that leaped to all three floors, McInnis said.

Firefighters knocked down the blaze "with an aggressive interior attack," McInnis said.

Mutual aid fire departments responding to the city included Andover, Methuen, Haverhill, North Andover, Dracut, Lowell and Middleton.

The fire was reported under control by Chief Brian Moriarty at 3:27 p.m.

The three-story building at 42 Summer St. is assessed at $423,800, according to records.

McInnis said the building is believed to be repairable. He estimated the fire damage at about $400,000.

It's unclear when tenants will be able to return. The American Red Cross and local nonprofit Heal Lawrence were notified.

"No one is getting back in there until they make major repairs," McInnis said.

Follow staff reporter Jill Harmacinski on Twitter @EagleTribJill.

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