A three-alarm fire substantially destroyed two large multi-family houses on Alderman Street late Friday night. There is no word about how many people were displaced by the blaze nor if any of the occupants were injured. Both police and firefighters searched the buildings upon arrival.
One firefighter was transported from the scene by ambulance. The nature of his injuries and his current condition are unknown.
Witnesses said the wood-framed, two-story building at 98 Alderman St., at its intersection with Sorrento Street, was fully involved in flames when firefighters arrived at the scene just before 10 p.m. Flames burned through the roof reaching perhaps 20 feet over the top of the house and sent billows of thick smoke into the air. The fire was so large, the building at 97 Alderman St., just 15 or 20 feet separated from the initial fire site, also started to burn and was soon fully involved as well.
Firefighters had to fight the two fires with low water pressure. Hoses had to be run from hydrants several blacks away to bring enough water in to douse the burning buildings. Fire command ordered all fire personnel to evacuate the buildings as the flames raged.
Both of the buildings were gutted by fire.
Where the fire started in the building at 98 Alderman St. and the cause of the blaze remain under investigation.
