Charlestown Fire Rages in Freezing Temperatures
Photos via the Boston Fire Department
Firefighters in Charlestown battled a multi-alarm blaze in single-digit temperatures Friday, dousing the flames while coating their equipment with a thick layer of ice.
Photos shared by the Boston Fire Department show just how challenging the conditions were at the site of the six-alarm fire, which was first reported at 6:45 a.m. Two firefighters reportedly sustained minor injuries. Officials say most of the fire had been doused, but crews were still targeting “hot spots” just before 11 a.m. and continued to spray the site with water into the mid-afternoon.
As temperatures hovered around 2 degrees at the chilliest part of the morning, there were icicles hanging from ladders, frozen tree limbs cascading over vehicles, and much of the roadway on Bunker Hill Street was transformed into an ice rink.
A ladder, frozen, had to be thawed.
Thawing out Ladder 1 to use again. Frozen in position pic.twitter.com/tlHWYcXTyX
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) December 16, 2016
Engine 50 pic.twitter.com/oIHzlpvsEn
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) December 16, 2016
Fire still going in Charlestown. Mayor Walsh says 6 people are displaced. No injuries. pic.twitter.com/W0nIR35b46
Tough weather conditions. 2 degrees now. pic.twitter.com/IdK0j1ira1
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) December 16, 2016
— allison manning (@allymanning) December 16, 2016
.@BostonFire commissioner encased in ice. Says about 20 going to be displaced. Cause unknown. Laundromat on 1st floor. pic.twitter.com/zel1ccjIba
— Robert Goulston (@rgoulston) December 16, 2016
Officials say as many as 25 residents have been displaced. In a tweet, Boston Mayor Marty Walsh pledged to “do all we can for those impacted by this morning’s fire.”
The building, which houses the Monument Laundromat, was among sites featured in the movie The Town.
The fire department urged those looking to help out those impacted by the fire to give to the Red Cross.
Again, consider supporting @RedCrossMA to help the displaced not just from this but for all they do pic.twitter.com/DZkzToP2K3
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) December 16, 2016
