SPRINGFIELD, MA - A second-floor fire in a three-story, wood-frame, multi-family dwelling displaced three families on Monday, March 17th, along with nearly 20 pets, in the Liberty Heights section of the City of Springfield.

Springfield Fire Alarm dispatched companies to the three-decker located at 746 Carew St. shortly before 9:30 P.M. for a reported structure fire. Before companies even left the firehouse, Fire Alarm came back on the air and advised they were receiving multiple 911 calls for this address. First due Engine 4 arrived on scene and confirmed the fire with heavy fire venting from the second-floor, Delta side. Crews stretched lines to all three floors and made fast work of the fire, knocking the bulk of it down within 15 minutes. While all the human occupants had made it out safely, multiple pets, upwards of 20 total between the three units, were unaccounted for. It was during the overhaul phase of the fire that crews began to locate and remove both dogs and cats from all three floors.

One by one, the littlest fire victims were laid down by firefighters in the side yard of the property where EMS personnel and firefighters did what the could to revive as many of the animals as possible. Those pets that survived the fire were turned over to the MSPCA, as their owners had no way to care for them due to being displaced by the fire. Several days after, some of the animals were still being treated at an Eastern Massachusetts veterinary hospital. No humans sustained serious injury at the fire, and the displaced families are being assisted by the Red Cross. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the SFD Arson Squad.