Firefighters are battling a blaze in two buildings in Lynn, Massachusetts, Friday afternoon, officials said.
The fire was on a residential stretch of Chestnut Street near the MBTA train tracks, according to the Lynn Fire Department.
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The blaze began in vehicles in a driveway and spread into two buildings, firefighters said. They requested help from nearby fire agencies.
As the flames tore through the two multi-unit homes, residents were dealing with the sudden realization that everything they had was likely gone.
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"We're distraught," said one man, whose mom and brothers live in one of the apartments. "This is a traumatizing moment, there's a lot of memories in that home."
No one was hurt, officials said at the scene.
Investigators have not determined how exactly the fire started and where.
"It went from the home on the left to the home on the right," said witness Michelle Carter, who lives in the neighborhood. "The car started it, the car was on fire first, it went 'boom.'"
There are eight units among the two houses, as well as a neighboring home that has extensive smoke damage. All are uninhabitable.
Twenty-four people will need a new place to live, according to the American Red Cross of Massachusetts.
"It's a total loss," said Jennifer Miranda, whose aunt and cousins live in one of the apartments. "Everything is lost. What matters is that we're alive."
