Large Fire Destroys Lawrence Condo Building, Displacing at Least 16

At least 16 people were displaced Thursday night when a large fire destroyed a condominium building in Lawrence, Massachusetts.

The three-alarm blaze broke out around 8 p.m. on Shawsheen Court. Flames were already going through the roof before fire crews arrived.

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The roof collapsed, and smoke could still be seen rising from the rubble hours after the fire began. No injuries were reported, but some pets have gone missing, fire officials said.

Crews had trouble getting water on scene, Lawrence Fire Chief Brian Moriarty said, and had to use a thousand feet of hose across multiple streets.

"It's not good water in this area so we had long lays down to Osgood St., Market and Osgood, Salem and Osgood, to try and get good water and that's a good three, four pump leg - 1,000 feet of hose on a truck - each one," Moriarty said. "So that was the challenge - getting the water to get the ladder pipes fed."

Lawrence Fire Chief Brian Moriarty said it was challenging to get water to the scene.

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Shaila Alicea, who is pregnant, said she smelled the fire and initially thought someone was having a barbecue. She started running with her young child and her 1-year-old niece, banging on doors to warn neighbors.

"We ran with the kids and we started knocking on doors and got everybody out," Alicea said. "We don't know what happened. We don't know why the fire - how it started, where it started."

Alicea says she was inside her home practicing her birthing techniques when it happened, because she is scheduled to have labor induced next week.

The four people who lived in her home lost everything, Alicea said.

The Red Cross of Massachusetts are helping adult and children who were displaced. The Salvation Army said they are also providing emotional support and working with partner organizations to address additional needs.