A six-alarm fire tore through a Cambridge apartment building overnight.Watch reportThe fire broke out just after midnight at an apartment complex at 888 Massachusetts Ave."When we hit the third floor, that's when we saw a lot of smoke. When we got to the second floor, there was heavy smoke, then we had to run from the second floor down the stairs to the first floor to get out, and at that point there was heavy smoke in the building," resident Luis Gallegos said.Cambridge Fire Chief Gerald Reardon said the fire started in the basement of the apartment building and traveled up all four floors."It was labor intensive, fast moving. Had that shaft, so it kept jumping floor to floor to floor," Reardon said.As the flames went higher, so did the alarm."Six alarms because of the shafts going out, and it had a vertical path to the roof. We just kept chasing it," Reardon said.One-hundred and twenty-five firefighters were on scene, but trying to get ahead of the fire was no easy task."It doesn't have sprinklers, not required to have them. But it makes getting firefighter lines up there very difficult for the fire," Reardon said.All of the residents of the 57-unit complex are accounted for, according to Cambridge Fire Chief Gerald Reardon.Some firefighters suffered minor injuries.Some residents were allowed back in late Thursday morning to retrieve personal items and pets.

A six-alarm fire tore through a Cambridge apartment building overnight.

Watch report


The fire broke out just after midnight at an apartment complex at 888 Massachusetts Ave.

"When we hit the third floor, that's when we saw a lot of smoke. When we got to the second floor, there was heavy smoke, then we had to run from the second floor down the stairs to the first floor to get out, and at that point there was heavy smoke in the building," resident Luis Gallegos said.

Cambridge Fire Chief Gerald Reardon said the fire started in the basement of the apartment building and traveled up all four floors.

"It was labor intensive, fast moving. Had that shaft, so it kept jumping floor to floor to floor," Reardon said.

As the flames went higher, so did the alarm.

"Six alarms because of the shafts going out, and it had a vertical path to the roof. We just kept chasing it," Reardon said.

One-hundred and twenty-five firefighters were on scene, but trying to get ahead of the fire was no easy task.

"It doesn't have sprinklers, not required to have them. But it makes getting firefighter lines up there very difficult for the fire," Reardon said.

All of the residents of the 57-unit complex are accounted for, according to Cambridge Fire Chief Gerald Reardon.

Some firefighters suffered minor injuries.

Some residents were allowed back in late Thursday morning to retrieve personal items and pets.