Flames tore through a home in Dedham, Massachusetts, on Wednesday afternoon.
The fire broke out at a house on Elmview Place. The damage was so severe that it had to be demolished.
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"I also heard popping sounds or cracking," said neighbor Vivien Wu. "I knew immediately something was wrong."
Wu, who lives next door, says that renovations had been taking place at the home for weeks, including Wednesday morning.
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"I was afraid if there was still a worker or someone in there," she said.
The weather was a major issue.
Two firefighters were being evaluated for heat exhaustion.
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The fire chief says it doesn't take long to get into trouble in this kind of heat.
"Every season has its challenges," said Dedham Fire Chief William Spillane. "Summertime is probably our worst, because we wear the structural gear for certain reasons, and we really have to make sure we have enough resources on scene to be able to rotate our crews in and out and ensure they're all staying hydrated."
Investigators say no one was home at the time.
Authorities confirm the house had been sold recently and work was being done inside, but there was electricity still hooked up, which is being looked at as a possible cause of the fire.
"Electric power was still connected to the building, so with everything else being vacated within the building, I'm sure they'll be looking at that," said Spillane.
The house is right next door to Dedham High School. Some of the windows at the gym, melted but school will be open Thursday.
