Lexington

6 Firefighters Injured Battling Blaze Amid Frigid Temps in Lexington

Fire officials had to call out for heaters to prevent water lines from freezing while trying to extinguish the fire

NBC Universal, Inc.

Firefighters battled a blaze in bitter cold temperatures at a single-family home in Lexington, Massachusetts, early Friday morning.

Six firefighters suffered minor injuries fighting the fire.

The family that lives in the Maple Street home made it out safely, thanks to a police officer who was passing by around 4 a.m. and knocked on the door to notify them.

Several hoses froze, causing water supply issues, and fire officials had to call for heaters to prevent the lines from freezing. The temperature stood at 8 degrees in Lexington on Friday morning, with wind chills that made it feel like -10.

"These lines are full of water, and it doesn't take long for these lines to start freezing up themselves," Lexington Fire Chief Derek Sencabaugh said. "So you have to constantly flow water, which increases the icing."

Water supply issues ultimately forced firefighters to pull out of the house and fight the fire from outside the building.

Sencabaugh said the injured firefighters were "mostly slips, falls, sprains and strains." They are all expected to be OK.

Fire departments from surrounding areas, including Woburn, Waltham and Bedford, helped Lexington firefighters extinguish the 2-alarm blaze.

No further information was immediately available.

Contact Us