Neighbors search through rubble for belongings after massive fire in Wakefield
A second alarm fire at 2008 Hughes Ave. on Monday left a destructive aftermath and 19 families without a home.
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Shattered glass and police tape coat the entrance of 2008 Hughes Ave. after a fire Monday evening.
The fire ripped through the Tremont building at around 10 p.m. Fire inspectors say the flames started on the third floor.
141 firefighters and EMS personal battled the fire that left a destructive aftermath.
"There's glass particles on the floor, there's like, wall pieces on my ground, my windows broken. Everything's just tarnished," said one neighbor named Jaritza Burgos.
Burgos searched through the rubble, and found comfort in a simple discovery of her contact lenses.
"It's just meaningful to me. I just take everything," she said.
The Department of Buildings confirms the extreme damages forced a full vacate order, but the building is not at risk of a collapse.
Melida Garcia on the fourth floor was having a hard time packing her belongings. Feeling a sentimental connection to the apartment she lived in with her mother.
"All the stuff that I have there, even those material and everything is the only thing I have of her memory," she said.
The American Red Cross told News 12 they have assisted a total of 19 families that include 39 adults and 24 children. They said 13 families accepted emergency lodging, while 6 families decided to self-relocate.
