Firefighters help to rescue 5 kids from Mattapan house fire;12 residents displaced

Boston firefighters assisted in the rescue of 12 occupants at a Mattapan home that caught fire Tuesday morning, according to a series of tweets from the Boston Fire Department. The 12 residents — five children and seven adults — are now displaced.

The fire started around 1 a.m. on the second and third floor of 55 Cedar St. duplex, before spreading to the neighboring property at 57 Cedar St. 

Firefighters encountered a few rough patches along the way, resulting in a three-hour fight to contain the flames. Deputy Chief Michael Hocking told WCVB the biggest problem was getting units to the roof.

“The obstacles fighting the fire were very narrow hallways, steep stairways,” Hocking said. “Wires were a big problem here — we couldn’t get our aerial ladders to the roof.”

WCVB also reports the adults were able to evacuate themselves, but the children required assistance.

The department has not yet determined what started the blaze.