Photo and videos courtesy Gerry Mahoney, assistant fire chief, City of Cambridge
By Gayla Cawley
SWAMPSCOTT — A five-alarm fire engulfed two single-family houses on Bay View Drive Sunday afternoon.
Swampscott Fire Chief Kevin Breen said there were no people in either house when the fire struck at about noon.
Breen said neighbors saw a fire between the two buildings. The blaze started in the yard between the two colonial style houses, he added.
Breen said the brown house on the right sustained heavier fire damage because the ignition source, which he didn’t clarify, was closer to it.
The house with the heavier fire damage on the right was collapsed on all floors, with the sink starting in the roof. The house on the left was partially collapsed, Breen said.
Water main breaks on both sides of the fire made it impossible to flow large quantities of water. Firefighters could only battle the blazes with small attacks to limited effect. Breaks also made sinkholes possible, Breen said.
The house on the right was only attacked from the outside as it was too heavily involved with fire for firefighters to enter. Firefighters were able to go inside the other home, Breen said.
Responding fire departments included Swampscott, Lynn, Peabody, Salem, Revere, Lynnfield, Saugus, Danvers, Nahant, Marblehead and Middleton.
Two people who lived up the street from the fire were transported to the hospital, Breen said.
Large fire in Swampscott pic.twitter.com/bWhc7zE4AS
— Gerry Mahoney (@GerryMahoney) July 3, 2016
3rd alarm Swampscott pic.twitter.com/JpmuViFYtS
— Gerry Mahoney (@GerryMahoney) July 3, 2016
#Swampscott
3rd alarm pic.twitter.com/SglMZWiJu8— Gerry Mahoney (@GerryMahoney) July 3, 2016
#Swampscott
3rd alarm pic.twitter.com/SglMZWiJu8— Gerry Mahoney (@GerryMahoney) July 3, 2016
