Boston

3-Alarm Fire Breaks Out at High Rise Next to Boston's TD Garden

Causeway Street was closed following the fire, creating a traffic nightmare

Boston fire crews extinguished a 3-alarm blaze at a high-rise building that's under construction next to the TD Garden, creating a traffic nightmare right before the Bruins game.

Several roads in the area were shut down after the Boston Fire Department responded to a call around 4:20 p.m. Saturday for a report of a fire at a building located at 1 Nashua Street.

Plumes of smoke could be seen from blocks away.

"At first I heard a bunch of sirens and I'm like, 'what's going on here?'" Joshua Brown said. 

The fire shut down Causeway Street, which was filled with fire trucks just hours before the Bruins hosted the Ottawa Senators in a 7 p.m. National Hockey League game.

Flames broke out on the 25th floor, officials say. No elevators were in service, forcing firefighters to walk up to the 25th floor with hoses and other equipment.

"It's just tough figuring it out when it's under construction. It's a different ball game," said Boston Fire Chief of Operations John Walsh. "Sixty pounds with the equipment on their bodies and the hose weighs about 50."

Boston Fire said in a tweet, "A great job by all to get the resources needed to put out the fire, under extreme circumstances."

While the Garden was not affected by the fire, traffic was backed up all around the sports arena.

"It might create a hassle for some people but those that are taking the T they are being smart," Brown said.

Boston police did issue a traffic advisory, warning drivers to expect heavy traffic and major delays in and around the TD Garden area.

The game went on as scheduled, the TD Garden said in a tweet.

The Boston arena had asked people planning to attend the Bruins game to enter the garage at 121 Nashua Street. The main entrance at The Hub on Causeway was open to fans, in addition to the Legends Way/east entrance.

This is not the first fire that the Boston Fire Department has had to battle as of late in buildings that are under construction but Boston Fire says because they are not marked properly, it's always a challenge.

There were no reports of injuries Saturday, but the cause of the fire is under investigation. 

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