HOLYOKE, MA - A fast-moving fire, coupled with hoarding conditions, caused significant damage to an occupied two-and-a-half-story home in Holyoke, Mass. on Thursday, March 27th.

Fire companies responded to the 3:23 p.m. call for a structure fire at the address of 161 Lincoln St. on the north side of the city of Holyoke and arrived to find the rear porch and first-floor well-involved. Crews went to work, knocking down the heavy fire on the first-floor from the exterior before entering. Once inside, fire crews encountered a hoarding condition with some areas of the home having items piled upwards of three-feet-high that slowed down fire suppression efforts. For 20 minutes, Holyoke fire fighters tried every way possible to push through and make progress in fighting the blaze, but when companies could not access the second-floor due to the hoarding and fire began to take possession of the attic, command sounded the evacuation tones and pulled all members from the building for a defensive attack.

Once outside, two ladder pipes and two street guns along with hand lines were set up and the fire, which had now taken total possession of the attic and burned through the roof, was knocked down over the course of the next hour-and-a-half. Once the main body of fire was knocked down, the balance of the second-alarm assignment was released and companies set up a fire watch detail which lasted several more hours with the last fire companies finally clearing the scene late Thursday evening. One resident sustained minor injury while evacuating the building, but was treated by EMS personnel and is expected to make a full recovery. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.