On Monday night, firefighters responded to a two-alarm fire at 911 Broadway, a three-family wooden structure that sustained substantial damage. The building has since been boarded up. Heavy smoke and flames were visible coming from the basement when firefighters from the nearby Mill Hill Station arrived late that evening.
Occupants on all three floors were evacuated by responding firefighters, who discovered that the upper two floors were operating as a rooming house. The fire originated in the basement and rapidly traveled upward through a pipe chase, reaching the top floor apartment. No injuries were reported among those evacuated, and several pets were also safely removed from the building.
According to Chelsea Fire officials, the fire displaced 14 adults and 4 children. The basement and first floor sustained the most severe damage. Fire department investigators determined that the blaze started in a dryer vent located in the basement, which appeared to be part of a makeshift apartment. Evidence gathered during the investigation of the upper floors confirmed the rooming house conditions. The total damage estimate came to approximately $50,000.