4-Alarm Fire in Somerville Displaces 35

SOMERVILLE, MA — Eleven families are without a home, after a fire on Rush Street escalated into a 4-alarm blaze Thursday evening.

The fire blazed at an apartment home at 24 Rush St., where crews responded around 9:30 p.m. It quickly escalated to three, and then four alarms.

Thirty-five people from 11 different families were displaced by the fire, according to the Massachusetts Red Cross. Ten of them are under 18 years old, the Red Cross said.

Anyone hoping to help the families should seek a local charity that helps people put out of homes, or donate to the Red Cross directly, a spokesman there said.

Late Thursday, companies worked a "defensive fire" that shot through the roof of a large three-story, reports NorthEast Fire Alerts. There was heavy fire on the second and third floors, and wires were reportedly down. Multiple mutual aid headed to the city to assist.

Streets in the area, which are filled with smoke, were blocked off to allow access, reports WHDH, Channel 7 News.

Massachusetts Fire Department 14 Alerts reported at midnight that all in the home have been accounted for, according to the fire chief, and that firefighters worked to put out hot spots.

According to its Twitter account, Massachusetts Red Cross was dispatched Thursday night to attend to two families displaced by the fire.

Photo Credit: WHDH, Channel 7 News

Story updated 10:15 a.m., May 6