Thursday, 4:30 PM
One woman killed, 12 firefighters injured in Worcester blaze
By Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff
A 47-year-old woman was killed and 12 firefighters were injured overnight in a violent three-alarm blaze that ravaged a triple decker in Worcester, a fire official said.
It took 50 firefighters and 16 engines and ladder trucks to battle the flames at 49 Chilmark St., which erupted at 10 p.m. The first responders encountered a "tremendous amount of fire" on the third floor and focused their efforts on a woman trapped there, said District Fire Chief Frank Diliddo.
The woman, who was not identified, was pulled from the flames and rushed to the University of Massachusetts Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.
"This was a very, very difficult fire to fight," Diliddo said.
Injuries suffered by firefighters included severe dehydration, heat exhaustion, cuts that required stitches, second-degree burns, an ankle sprain, and a severe back strain. Eight of the injured were taken to local hospitals, where four were admitted overnight.
"We are hoping most of them will be out by the end of the day," Diliddo said.
It took more than an hour to bring the fire under control. The cause and the origin of the blaze remain under investigation, Diliddo said.
Nine people have been displaced by the fire, which badly damaged the triple decker.
