Three Die as Fire Guts Rooming House
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LYNN, Mass. — A fire raged out of control for three hours and gutted a rooming house Tuesday, killing at least three people and forcing tenants to swing from ropes and leap to neighboring roofs because there were no exterior fire escapes.
Authorities said at least five people remained unaccounted for. The investigation into the cause of the blaze and the search for bodies was delayed while a crane was brought in to clear rubble from the four-story brick building.
The city had previously filed a criminal complaint against the owner of the Ben Crest rooming house for failing to install a sprinkler system, officials said. A lawyer for the owner said the installation of sprinklers was to have begun next week.
“I pulled on the fire alarm, and it broke right off in my hand,” said Dwayne Rogers, 25, a fourth-floor resident who tried to wake other tenants before escaping to an adjacent roof.
Deputy Fire Chief William Conway said the city encourages exterior fire escapes, but they are not required.
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