Hingham fire levels one home, damages several others
A community in Hingham is coming together after a massive fire leveled one home and seriously damaged another. Several other homes were also damaged.
Hingham Fire Chief Steve Murphy says an 11-year-old and his nanny were inside the home and they are the ones who saw the fire starting outside on a side porch. They may have also helped alert the painters inside on the second floor.
The last piece standing came crashing down as crews tipped over the lone standing chimney. Not even 24 hours ago – the scene was a ball of fire that leveled a home valued on Zillow at more than 3 million dollars. “It’s so devastating. I’m glad everyone’s alright,” said one woman.
Amy Smith lived in this neighborhood for 23 years and came back today to see the devastating damage. “I could see it and I could smell it in my living room,” said Smith.
Chief Murphy says at least six homes were damaged and possibly more. He says people’s yards caught on fire blocks away. “There’s no question the wind definitely played a factor into this,” said Murphy.
We talked to the father of the 11-year-old who was home with his nanny and he told us his son is still terrified about what happened. “They looked out and saw the fire kind of going up the side and going through the windows and everything,” said Murphy.
The fire chief says it appears the boy and nanny alerted painters who were working on the second floor who also got out. The Chief says they are still working on a cause but they do know the painters were working with non-flammable latex paint. “All causes are still showing that it was an outside fire that started on the porch and then went inside,” said Murphy.
The fire chief did tell us one scenario they are look at is if the dry/windy and hot conditions possibly ignited mulch in the yard. But right now that is just one of many potential causes.
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