AS A WIND-WHIPPED FIRE SWEPT THROUGH A 3-family dwelling in Malden, Massachusetts, early Thursday morning, one of the eight residents instinctively raced to the top floor and saved a woman and her two small children.
WHDH-TV
The fire broke out shortly after 1 am and began spreading rapidly throughout the old, wood framed home that had been converted to three apartments. WHDH-TV reports:
However, the most dramatic moment of the night came when a mother and her two children who had just moved in hours before were rescued from the top floor of the building. The families in the basement and the second floor apartments were able to get out, but the brand-new tenant and her children on the third floor were trapped.Acting on instinct, building resident Joe Scadding, his son, and another tenant raced upstairs and rescued the family. The Scadding family lost everything in the fire but said they are grateful they were able to save the lives of their new neighbors.
“I heard the girl on the first floor screaming, ‘fire, fire, fire!’ So then I just ran out of my room, ran outside…The babies, I had just met them and I knew they were up there, so I just ran around and then when I seen the fire, I just went for the doorway,” said Scadding of his heroic rescue.
WFXT-TV Ch. 25 has some brief footage of the fire:
WHDH-TV has a better video and an interview with Scadding HERE.
Fire Chief Michael Murphy said the weather hampered the firefighters’ efforts. “It was very difficult to move around, water was freezing all over the place, and the wind helped fuel the fire,” Murphy said.
Also on FireGeezer…
- 4 Alarms in Charlotte – April 14, 2011
- Multiple Rescues in French Apartment Fire – February 6, 2011
- Milwaukee Apartment Fire Goes to 4 Alarms – May 11, 2011
- 3 Alarms in Albuquerque – February 5, 2011
Recent Comments