A firefighter suffered a minor burn injury and four others were taken to a hospital for evaluation following a 4-alarm fire in East Boston on Tuesday.
Crews responded to the fire at a large, 3-story duplex apartment building on Harve Street around 12:30 p.m., officials said. The heavy fire was knocked down by around 2:30, but it left 21 residents displaced.
About an hour after the response, a firefighter was treated for a minor burninjury and taken to a local hospital by paramedics.
A mother, her two young children — a baby and a toddler — and an adult friend were also taken to a hospital for evaluation after inhaling smoke, according to Boston EMS.
Firefighters initially were battling the fire as it was coming through the building's roof; however, they were pulled back from the roof and the building's third floor as the area around the building's chimney burned away and collapsed.
Boston fire officials said crews were still working around the danger of the chimney falling at some point.
Sky Ranger footage from the scene on Harve Street showed the ceiling being pulled to expose the heavy flames burning through the roof.
Firefighters continued to chase hot spots through the afternoon. Authorities estimate that the fire caused about $1.2 million in damages.
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The cause of the fire is under investigation.
