Lawrence Eagle Tribune
LAWRENCE - Fire consumed a Melvin Street apartment building last night, leaving three families homeless in the second such fire this week. Tulio Calderone, who owns the 121 Melvin St. apartment building, said his wife, Sharen, dialed 911 when she noticed smoke coming from the walls just after 7:30 p.m. Firefighters arrived within minutes but were unable to keep the fire from spreading throughout most of the building, fire Chief Joseph Marquis said. Marquis said the three-alarm fire was similar to one Wednesday at 35 Bennington St., where 17 people were left homeless after a faulty extension cord sparked a fire in a three-story home. Last night's fire is under investigation, Marquis said. "We'll have a better grasp on the source of the fire afterward," Marquis said. "Right now, we're still chasing hotspots in the walls and ceiling because of the balloon framing." Balloon framing is an old building technique that leaves space between interior and exterior walls where fire can travel unhindered from floor to floor. The gray, Victorian-style home at 121 Melvin St. also had a drop ceiling between the third-floor ceiling and the roof above, Marquis said. "That's the biggest battle, getting to the fire as it spreads through that space," Marquis said, just after 10 p.m. Even with crews at the building since 7:30 p.m., firefighters at 11 p.m. still struggled to prevent the fire from reigniting. Shivering under his Red Cross blanket, Calderone watched from across the street. He and Sharen were the only ones home at the time, but said the two families who live below them knew they would be without a place to stay for at least a few weeks. Calderone said he has insurance, but did not know last night whether he would try to rebuild or how much of the damage would be covered.
"Everybody is safe," Calderone said. "There is a husband, wife and baby that live below us on the second floor and a couple on the ground floor, but none of them were home for this." Calderone planned to stay with his daughter-in-law, Stacy Fisher, and her husband, Jonathan. "They'll be with us for a while until things get straightened out," John Fisher said last night. Damage was heaviest on the second and third floors, Deputy Fire Chief Peter Takvorian said.
