LYNN — Four people were left homeless after a two-alarm fire tore through an Essex Street home on Friday night.
Lynn firefighters responded to a three-family home at 170 Essex St. at 10:30 p.m. Smoke was showing from the building when they arrived. The fire was accidental and electrical, it was determined, and had started in a bedroom on the first floor, Lynn District Fire Chief Stephen Archer said.
“Our crews did an amazing job stopping this fire from consuming the whole building,” Archer said. “Our crews had to contend with some really difficult extremely cold conditions that night.”
Only the first floor of the building was occupied — the four adults living on the first floor were all home and were able to get out safely without assistance. But they all needed Red Cross assistance for temporary housing, Archer said.
Archer said the fire, which started in an electrical fixture, spread quickly, making its way up to the second and third floor through void spaces. Crews had the fire under control in about an hour, but remained on scene for a couple of hours to make sure all they got all of the hot spots.
There was extensive fire damage throughout the house, which will need substantial repairs, Archer said. The building is assessed at $351,800, according to online records.
