By Peter Currier
The Sun
LOWELL, Mass. — Five alarms were struck by the Lowell Fire Department Tuesday afternoon as a fire spread to six different Centralville residences amid very dry and windy conditions.
Lowell Fire Chief Phillip Charron told reporters Tuesday his department was called to the area of Bridge, Wachusett and May streets around 2:51 p.m.
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Charron said firefighters arrived to a heavy fire at 867 Bridge St., and the heavy winds were blowing the flames and embers uphill toward 12 and 14 Wachusett St. and 34 and 38 May St., in addition to a residence directly next door on Bridge Street.
“The first couple of alarms of apparatus here just started splitting up and going to different streets until we started to get everything under control,” said Charron.
Charron said two firefighters had to be transported to the hospital due to heat exhaustion, but no other injuries were reported among residents of any of the homes. At least 25 residents were displaced across all of the affected homes, Charron said, noting that number could rise to above 30.
The city opened the Lowell Senior Center at 276 Broadway St. as an emergency shelter for anyone impacted by the fire.
Charron described some challenges with water pressure due to the number of fires in such a small area, but said the firefighters “were able to work with what we had.”
“We were very lucky. With the wind blowing up the hill it could have been 12 or 15 homes,” said Charron.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Charron said.
A number of local fire departments responded with mutual aid, including Billerica, Chelmsford, Dracut, Burlington and Salem, New Hampshire.
Christian Castillo lives in one of the four units 867 Bridge St. on the top floor with his mother, father and siblings. He said he was not home at the time the blaze started and got a call from his mom letting him know the house was on fire. He said he was initially concerned about all of his family’s belongings and investments inside, but that it could have been much worse.
“It was all I have, but at least I have a dealership and a family business. We still have some type of foundation, I have my job, I have my life and I have my family,” said Castillo. “It is just stuff. I had to remind myself that everything I had, I can replace.”
Castillo said the family members who were home at the time noticed smoke coming through the door before escaping the home. He said they had two cats inside, but as of when he spoke to reporters he was not sure whether they survived. Castillo noted that there was doorbell camera footage that he said appeared to show the blaze having started outside in a bush near his house.
The fire affected bus routes for nearby schools. According to a message sent out by Lowell Public Schools, elementary and middle school students with affected bus stops were sent to the Moody School for families to pick them up.
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