Blaze damages 6 Massachusetts homes, displaces 16 families

A wind-fueled fire has damaged six homes and displaced 16 families in Massachusetts.

The blaze began Friday night on the third-floor balcony of a home in Lawrence before spreading to five other nearby residences. Fire officials say high winds helped the fire spread quickly in the densely settled neighborhood.

All residents were safely evacuated and no injuries were reported, Lawrence Fire Chief Brian Moriarty told reporters. No pets were reported missing or injured, he added.

Crews from several fire departments in neighboring communities in both Massachusetts and New Hampshire assisted local crews in fighting the fire, which took four hours to extinguish. Moriarty said his department sent every fire apparatus it has.

“We have no idea what the cause is yet,” Moriarty said. “It was extremely windy, and we had fire spreading rapidly.”

In addition to the residences heavily damaged by the fire, several other homes suffered exposure damage such as melted siding.

The Red Cross is providing housing and assistance to the occupants of the damaged homes.

Moriarty said his department will work with state fire officials to investigate the cause of the fire.