No residents were injured, but an emergency medical official said the woman who allegedly started the fire was taken to the hospital after becoming emotional.
The firefighters’ work was hampered because they had a hard time locating fire hydrants. For several agonizing minutes, residents stood helpless, beckoning and yelling for firefighters to do something while they attempted to establish a water supply to fight the fire.
The complex houses several hundred residents and is located up Falls Boulevard from the Quincy Wal-Mart.
According to several officials, the fire was started by the barbecue grill on a patio on the second floor of the three-story building. The third floor was gutted, and the first and second floors suffered severe water and smoke damage
Elizabeth Poiama, 53, lives in Building C, diagonally across the street from Building E, which was on fire.
“We were just coming back from dinner and the police wouldn’t let us in, so we parked a ways away and walked down and saw it. I couldn’t believe it. I hope everyone’s okay,’’ she said, adding that she has “a spare couch if anyone needs a place to stay tonight.’’
Jared Coffin, 24, lives on the third floor, above the unit where the fire started.
“A woman … was grilling on the patio and one of the coals caught the building,’’ Coffin said. “I think she should be fined. I think she should be given a hefty, hefty fine.’’
Coffin, who lives with his girl- friend, his dog, and two pet ferrets, added, “People have been warned. There are firetrucks here all the time because of this.’’
Coffin was able to rescue his dog and put the dog into his truck.
He went back to his apartment to rescue his two ferrets, but while he was bringing them outside, one of them slipped out of his grasp and went back into the building.
The Red Cross is assisting residents who were displaced.
John M. Guilfoil can be reached at guilfoil.j@gmail.com
