Marblehead fire leaves four homeless

MARBLEHEAD – A basement fire in a Village Street home left four residents homeless Monday morning, but firefighters put out the blaze before it could ignite natural gas lines, said Fire Capt. Michael Porter.”They did a fantastic job,” Porter said, describing how firefighters used foam to extinguish burning plastic gas fittings and lines.A neighbor reported the fire at 7:08 a.m. and Ladder 1 firefighters searched the 108 Village St. home for occupants while Engines 1 and 2 firefighters put out the basement fire.Porter did not know the fire’s cause but no one was hurt.Porter said the family was not at home at the time of the fire, but one of the residents returned home after being told about the blaze. Porter said the family was slated to stay at Harbor Lights, a local hotel, Monday night under an arrangement to provide free lodging to fire victims struck several years ago between the town and local lodging facilities.Porter said firefighters under Capt. Scott Murray’s command confined damage to the basement and any smoke damage throughout the single-family home. He said quick action by fire crews prevented gas lines from melting.Porter did not have the residents’ identities.Thor Jourgensen can be reached at [email protected].