Authorities have started to demolish several buildings in danger of collapse following a devastating fire in Cambridge that has displaced more than 100 people.
Miraculously, only five or six minor injuries had been reported, and no pets lost in the massive blaze.
Fire officials struck 10 alarms for the fire which started around 2 PM on Saturday near the intersection of Berkshire and York Streets. 140 firefighters from 17 area communities immediately responded to the scene.
Officials said that upto 15 buildings were damaged, some catastrophically, including one which collapsed. Firefighters said that many of those buildings could also collapse.
Officials believed that the fire started in a building which was under construction. That structure collapsed in the blaze.
Several cars had also been engulfed by the wind-driven flames as they jumped across the street.
Cambridge Fire Chief Gerald Reardon said, "This looked like a ball of fire across the street. It looked like something you could see in a war zone."
The State Fire Marshal's Office informed that most of the buildings, which had been affected, are 3-story homes. One is a former church building, once converted into affordable housing. Power has been shut off in the neighborhood for hundreds of customers.
A man who lived two houses down from where the fire started said that he saw flickering coming through his windows and saw some smoke. Rodrigo Garcia said, "Within a minute, the house was engulfed in flames. It was the fastest fire I've ever seen."
NewsCenter 5's Shaun Chaiyabhat was at the scene shortly after the flames began. His photo showed the apartment building's sign, with burning debris in the background.
By Prakriti Neogi
