By Adam Swift
An early morning six-alarm fire on Washington Ave. on Wednesday displaced more than 50 residents of an 18-unit apartment building.
The fire at 185 Washington Ave. was reported at 12:33 a.m., and emergency response teams, including the Chelsea Fire Department, police department, and office of emergency management were immediately dispatched to the scene.
A six-alarm fire at 185 Washington Ave. in Chelsea early Wednesday morning.
The fire was brought under control within a few hours thanks to the swift and coordinated efforts of first responders, according to a statement from the city manager’s office. The cause of the fire is now under investigation by the Chelsea Fire Department.
Fire crews from a number of neighboring communities assisted with the fire operations and helped provide coverage for the city during the fire.
One resident was transported to MGH for smoke inhalation treatment. All residents have been accounted for and are receiving services. The city is in the recovery phase of this incident and is working with the Red Cross, Salvation Army, MEMA, and La Colaborativa to assist residents who have been displaced by fire.
“This has been an absolutely devastating event and it is one of the largest singular fires in recent memory,” said Alex Train, La Colaborativa’s chief operating officer. “We deployed our 24/7 crisis response team at about 1 a.m. and opened up the survival center as a temporary shelter for the evening for folks. We also provided food assistance, support for folks’ pets, facilitated access to healthcare, including two residents who had chronic medical conditions.”
On Wednesday morning, Train said La Colaborativa was in the process of coordinating with the city and MEMA on plans to provide further assistance.
“Our expectation is that we will provide support with rehousing, as well as essential household necessities like food assistance, prescription medication, infant formula, diapers, and the like,” said Train. “Simultaneously, we are coordinating temporary shelter right now. That might look like a hotel for two to three nights that we will coordinate with the city, and in tandem, we are looking to help each of the residents access state shelter if they qualify.”
Train said there were many families with young children living in the Washington Avenue apartments, and that it may be difficult to impossible for anyone to retrieve belongings from their apartments for the time being due to the partial roof collapse caused by the fire.
“There are a lot of kids that are preparing to go back to school that are nervous about potentially missing school, as well as families who lost everything,” said Train.
The Fire Department reminds all residents to always remain vigilant and take safety precautions to prevent fires. Information on fire prevention is available on the city’s website at chelseama.gov.
In the statement from the city manager’s office, city officials extended their gratitude to the brave firefighters and emergency personnel who responded to this incident, stating that their dedication and quick action undoubtedly prevented a more severe outcome.
Community members interested in supporting families and services during these emergencies can contact the city manager’s office at City Hall or through the city website.