Thursday, 4:30 PM
Fire evacuates Worcester high rise
By Michael Naughton, Globe Correspondent
Scores of emergency workers rescued between 40 and 50 people from a high-rise apartment building in Worcester this morning after an electrical fire broke out on the upper floors.
No one was seriously hurt in the three-alarm blaze, which ignited just after 4:30 a.m. at 16 Laurel Street when water trickled into the building's electrical system, said District Fire Chief Frank Diliddo.
The fire was contained mostly to the 13th, 14th, and 15th floors. The fire knocked out power to the building, forcing emergency workers to climb hundreds of stairs to rescue 40 to 50 people.
One person and a police officer were taken to a local hospital where they were treated and released for smoke inhalation, Diliddo said.
"It was a good test of all our past practices and our training, and it all paid off. It went very smoothly," said Diliddo.
More than 55 emergency workers responded to the blaze, which crews knocked down in about 90 minutes.
