Two buildings caught fire overnight in Southbridge, Massachusetts.
The large fire broke out around 3:24 a.m. on Union Street. Two 3-story buildings housing six families each caught fire, and heavy fire was coming from the back side of the building when firefighters arrived. Video showed flames shooting from the windows.
Firefighters were able to keep the fire from spreading to a third building nearby.
Fire crews were still working to douse the flames as of 5:30 a.m. Several departments were on scene putting water on the smoldering building. The concern is that it is so dry and they don’t want the blaze to spread beyond the two buildings.
All of the residents got out of the buildings safely.
Fire Chief Paul Normandin said 30 people were displaced, and a shelter was opened up on Chestnut Street. The American Red Cross is also responding to assist residents.
Several neighbors said they saw someone outside who threw something at the building just before the fire broke out.
“He showed up like around 1:58 and at like 3 o’clock he just threw something at the building and the whole building caught fire,” one neighbor said. “I just heard my dogs going crazy, so we looked a the cameras and he was facing the camera, so we caught him on camera.”
Normandin said his department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office are investigating the cause of the fire. He said it’s too soon to say if it was suspicious.
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