A fire destroyed much of an apartment building in Dorchester late Friday afternoon. Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn said they received calls about 4:50 p.m. about a fire at 11 Clover St. Finn said the fire jumped a fire wall in the building, spreading to the attached 9 Clover St. address. Two firefighters were taken to the hospital for injuries in the five-alarm response — one with an arm injury, the other with exhaustion.
Smoke poured out of windows on the third floor of the three-story building as firefighters climbed ladders in the direction of the fire and used axes to break through the roof. Other neighbors expressed relief and gratitude that firefighters managed to stop it from spreading.
One neighbor, Kevin Donovan, said he saw the smoke and ran into the building, banging on doors to make sure everybody got out. Sixteen people were displaced by the fire, and the Red Cross responded to provide assistance.
Finn said this was the second fire of the day for the Boston Fire Department. A three-alarm fire earlier in Hyde Park left one person critically injured.
