Fire Destroys Apartment Complex, Home of Many Immigrants

A women is transported from a fire in Framingham, Mass., that destroyed at least 72 apartment units on April 11, 2008. (NEWz courtesy photos: Glayson Brito, gsbusa33@mac.com)

(April 11, 2008, Framingham, Mass.) - A three-alarm fire raged through a residential complex that is known to be home for many immigrants, particularly Brazilians.

The blaze prompted Framingham's entire Fire Department to rush to the scene at Jefferson Village apartment complex.

According to police Lt. Paul Shastany, the Framingham Police Department received a call from the maintenance office of the complex, at 14 Temple St., at about noon today.

At least 100 firefighters from Framingham, Natick and Ashland attended the call.

Firefighters rescued six people from the sixth floor as smoke came out from the second.

With black smoke rising from two buildings, three residents and four firefighters received medical attention for breathing difficulties.

"The smoke coming out of there was dark as night. They (the firefighters) could not see their hands in front of their faces," said Lt. Shatany.

By 3 p.m., the fire had already damaged 72 units. Twenty police officers were there to help in the effort to rescue remaining residents.

Evenutally the firefighters were able to contain the blaze to one six-story building known as Edgewater.

No details were available this evening about the number of victims or the cause of the fire.

Source: EthnicNewz.org

Copyright 2008 New England Ethnic News, EthnicNewz.org. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the express permission of the news source. Contact Newz for more information.

More than 100 firefighters from three towns responded to the scene of a fire that broke out in an apartment complex in Framingham, Mass., on April 11, 2008. (NEWz courtesy photo: Glayson Brito, gsbusa33@mac.com)