dorchester

Woman Rescued From Heavy Fire in Dorchester Building

Images shared by the Boston Fire Department show a building with a rear porch that was heavily charred

NBC Universal, Inc.

A woman was rescued from a house fire in Dorchester Thursday, Boston firefighters said.

Heavy fire broke out at a home on Thetford Avenue about 3 p.m., according to the department. The woman was taken to the hospital. Fire officials later said no injuries were reported.

Several people were home at the time. Everyone managed to escape except an elderly woman who was trapped.

"She can't get out by herself," said Olymcie Baptiste, who owns the home and says it was her sister who needed to be rescued. "She can't talk. She don't walk."

Firefighters found the woman on the second floor.

She was sitting down and unable to get out on her own. They managed to bring her outside.

The fire was not easy to access. It's a dense neighborhood, and firefighters even had to cut through a fence to reach the back of the property where the flames were most intense.

"It was a difficult fire to fight," said Boston Fire Commissioner Paul Burke. "No access to the back, so a ladder truck had to come in through the vacant lot to get to the rear."

Boston firefighters battling a house fire in Dorchester on Thursday, May 25, 2023.
NBC10 Boston
Boston firefighters battling a house fire in Dorchester on Thursday, May 25, 2023.

Nine people and a cat live in three different apartments. They'll need a new place to live for the time being, as the damage is extensive.

"It was just like out of a movie," said witness Mary Harris.

Family members say the woman who was trapped is in the hospital.

Firefighters have not said what the cause of the fire may have been.

Contact Us