Two firefighters working during a 4th alarm fire in Holiday Street, Dorchester | Photo courtesy of the Boston Fire DepartmentA big fire broke out in a three-decker in Dorchester on Labor Day, September 4, 2023, displacing 35 residents.
When the firefighters arrived at 31 Holiday Street around 3:30 p.m., they saw a strong fire at the back of the building that went up all three floors.
A 4th alarm was ordered as the fire spread to 27 Holiday St., causing some damage to 23 Holiday St., 28 Oakley St., and 30 Oakley St. around 3:55 p.m., the back porches of 31 Holiday St. collapsed.
The fire was mostly put out by 4:10 p.m.
According to Deputy Fire Chief Rodney Marshall in conversation with the press, no residents in the affected houses were injured, but four pets were missing. One firefighter had minor injuries and was transported to the hospital.
Two of the buildings, 31 Holiday St. and 27 Holiday St., are now uninhabitable. The remaining three houses primarily suffered exterior damage due to the high temperature, which reached 84 degrees Fahrenheit.
The Red Cross of Massachusetts and the Boston Cabinet of Community Engagement are helping the people who had to leave their homes find new places to live.
The reason for the fire is still being investigated.
Editor’s note: The Boston Fire Department initially misidentified the address as 37 Holiday Street on Twitter; it was, in fact, at 31 Holiday Street.
