lowell

43 Displaced After Fire in Lowell Apartment Building

No one was hurt, but there is water damage that needs repair before residents can return to their homes

NBC Universal, Inc.

Fire broke out at a three-story apartment building in Lowell, Massachusetts, on Monday, sending residents scrambling to escape.

Fire officials said they were called to the building at Willie and Cross streets around 4:45 p.m. There were reports that someone was trapped inside, but that person made it out before firefighters arrived. No injuries were reported.

One resident described waking up to the chaos.

"I was afraid, because I was sleeping," said resident Ahmed Abukar. "If you seen someone came to you, and shouting, 'You have to get out [of] here, because of the fire's going on,' how would you feel? You'd feel afraid, right?"

Firefighters said the flames started on the third floor in a storage room in the back of the building, then spread to the attic.

The American Red Cross has been called in to help the 43 residents displaced. Fire officials said the building is not a total loss, but there is water damage that needs to be repaired.

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