Firefighters Battle 9-Alarm Allston Fire

A nine-alarm fire that broke out at an Allston apartment building Wednesday evening left five firefighters with minor injuries and 54 residents displaced, the Boston Fire Department said.

The blaze on Harvard Terrace, a dead-end street near the intersection of Harvard and Brighton avenues, began on a rear porch around 5:45 p.m. before spreading.

When firefighters arrived, heavy fire was showing from the three-story brick building and a second alarm was immediately ordered. By 7:15 p.m., the fire was at nine alarms.

All firefighters were ordered out of the building at one point due to concerns over a possible collapse.

Boston Fire Department Commissioner Joe Finn said the firewall helped firefighters keep the blaze from spreading to other buildings in the dense neighborhood.

The fire brought the busy area to a standstill during the evening commute, closing many roads, with smoke visible from blocks away.

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