One person is dead following a 3-alarm fire that struck a building in Worcester early Saturday morning.
The fire broke out at about 3:09 a.m. at 65 Upsala St. Worcester fire officials say one resident escaped from a second floor window by jumping onto a first floor roof beneath. Worcester police helped the resident to the ground.
As firefighters arrived, heavy fire spread throughout the second floor and flames shot from the window. After learning a second person was still inside, firefighters aggressively entered the building to fight the blaze and search for the victim, according to a fire department news release.
But as the fire spread further, firefighters were forced out of the building and attacked the blaze from the outside. Fire officials struck a third alarm to summon more firefighters to the scene.
After the heavy fire was extinguished, firefighters resumed their search and located the body of the second resident.
“I am very proud of the efforts made by our firefighters this morning. They encountered extreme cold, a frozen hydrant, heavy fire and a very difficult building to maneuver in," said Worcester Fire Chief Chief Lavoie. "We are deeply saddened by this loss."
The resident who had escaped was taken to UMass Memorial Hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, fire officials said.
Local
In-depth news coverage of the Greater Boston Area.
The Worcester Fire Department Fire Investigations Unit along with the Worcester Police Department are investigating.
