Second victim found in South Boston condo blaze
By Scott Allen, Globe staff
Boston fire officials confirmed the death of a second person in the seven-alarm blaze that tore through a historic condominium building on New Year's Eve, leaving 18 families homeless.
Fire chief Kevin MacCurtain did not identify the second victim, a woman who lived on the first floor of the former Eaton Hotel where the fire began. But neighbors in the tightknit community said the woman is Arvette Clancy,46, wife of Peter Clancy, the 47-year-old man who died of cardiac arrest last night as emergency crews attempted to rescue him.
"This is a tragic incident. We've lost two people," said MacCurtain in a press briefing outside the badly damaged former hotel where homerun king Babe Ruth lived for a time when he played for the Boston Red Sox. MacCurtain estimated damage to the five-story brick building at $5 million.
MacCurtain said that fire personnel have found no other victims in the building, but the top floor of the building remains too unstable to search thoroughly. Two residents of the floor are not yet accounted for, but fire officials said they apparently went away for the holiday.
Residents of the building, located at 309 Emerson Street, described a scene of chaos on New Year's Eve as what first seemed like a false alarm quickly turned into a massive fire reaching the top floor, forcing everyone to flee. Third floor resident Susan Skahan said smoke was billowing from the first floor condominium unit where the Clancys lived, and another neighbor pounded on the door to get the family's attention without success.
A 15-year-old daughter who lived with the Clancys was out for New Year's Eve festivities and, by mid-day, friends had located the girl, confirming that she is safe.
MacCurtain said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
