Congress Avenue Fire Under Investigation

Two fires about two hours apart last Thursday kept Chelsea firefighters and responders from other cities busy on one of the hottest days in years.

Just before 4:00 p.m. Chelsea firefighters responded to a fire in a three family home at 150 Congress Avenue, finding heavy smoke billowing from the third floor of the wooden structure.

“Residents were throwing their possessions out the windows when we got there,” said Deputy Chief John Quartieri. “Everyone got out of the house without injuries,” he added.

Fire officials estimated damages at $100,000.

Deputy Chief Robert Betters commanded the scene where extra attention was paid to hydrating the firefighters as the extremely high temperature demanded a great deal of team work as one group of firefighters was shortly relieved by another throughout the time it took to knock down the fire on the third floor.

All the occupants got out of the building and firefighters reported no injuries.

Two alarms were struck and fire crews from Winthrop, Everett, Revere and Boston responded.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

A second smaller fire broke out in a second floor apartment at 39 Cary Avenue shortly after firefighters returned from Congress Avenue.

An apparent electrical short circuit caused a wall fire to break out which firefighters quickly extinguished.

The fire did not go to a second alarm.

Fire officials estimated damage to the apartment at $5,000.

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