LAWRENCE — A woman searching for her cell phone under her bed with a cigarette lighter ignited a three-alarm fire that destroyed two three-deckers on Greenwood Street and left 22 people homeless early this morning, fire officials said.
“That is the preliminary cause,” Fire Chief Peter Takvorian said, calling the fire accidental, as he stood on the street outside 99-101 Greenwood St.
There were no injuries reported in the fire, but an elderly man thought to be a resident of 99-101 Greenwood St., collapsed and was taken to Lawrence General Hospital, fire officials said.
The fire spread from that address to the three-decker at 95-97 Greenwood St., Takvorian said.
It was the second major fire in the city this week. On Monday, a mother and son died in a fire at their home at 15 Leeds Terrace in South Lawrence.
Takvorian said the fire began in the rear of 99-101 Greenwood St. then spread to 95-97 Greenwood St.
When firefighters arrived on the scene after the first alarm at 5:01 a.m. they made sure everyone was out of both buildings then focused their efforts on fighting the fire from outside the buildings in order to protect the other buildings in the area.
That area of Greenwood Street is closely packed with three deckers, some separated by only the width of an alley,” Takvorian said.
He said he didn’t know if either of the buildings were salvageable, but noted both received heavy fire damage to the third floor and roofs, and smoke and water damage throughout. He said there portions of the back side of both buildings were collapsing.
Merrimack Valley
22 left homeless in fires this morning
- Merrimack Valley
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Health violations issued for historic Osgood Street property
Andover officials have issued numerous health-law citations against Susan Odle, owner of this historic pre-Revolutionary property at 116 Osgood St., over the piles of full trash bags piling up around the property.
ANDOVER — A broken-down mini-van filled with clutter, beat-up furniture and weathered toys are scattered across the historic Osgood Farm property.
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Neighbors have said the unsightly materials have been piling up in the yard and inside the home at 116 Osgood St. for years. But the latest addition — hundreds of full trash bags in the front yard — has become a cause for concern for many of them. -
Still moving in the same comfortable rhythm
Editor's Note: In the spirit of Valentine's Day, The Eagle-Tribune asked readers to tell us stories about their lasting relationships — how they worked through the challenges over the years and kept their love healthy and alive. The series continues through tomorrow, highlighting compelling stories of Love's Enduring Promise.
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Sending the kids away: Strikers' children went to safety in Vermont
When Salvatore Savinelli was just 4 years old, he hopped on a train bound for Barre, Vt., with 35 other children and his father as the group made its way out of the city in the midst of one of the biggest strikes in U.S. history.
Continued ... - Vermont town proud of its role
- State officials asked to investigate Adams
- Love's Enduring Promise: By Peggy's side
- Despite new law, local towns say no to GIC
- Mass. schools suspend thousands under 'zero-tolerance'
- Don't print that
- Pets of the week
- Community calendar
- Saturday, February 11, 2012
- Early morning, two-alarm fire on High Street, Haverhill drives family out of house
- Back on the home front
- Marine gets big welcome
- Gym damage forces shift of voting site
- Five candidates to run for Andover's top board
- Burglars hit fire damaged home
- Church celebrates renovations, anniversary
- Couple caught stealing $889 in groceries
- Man charged with hat theft
- Man arrested after chase
- Friday, February 10, 2012
- Spanish class exchange lets LHS, Phillips Academy students discover common interests
- Write your own success stories, students told
- State of city deadline missed again
- Retiring moderator's advice: 'Stay out of arguments'
- Man facing child porn charges said that he attended Merrimack
- Lantigua fails to file campaign finance reports
- Methuen, Lawrence Democrats to elect state convention delegates
- Councilor withdraws customer service crackdown
- Moran planning a run for 17th Essex Representative
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