Fitchburg house gutted by fire; family gets out OK, pet ferret dies

David Dore, Leominster Champion
·1 min read
Firefighters at the scene of the Wednesday morning blaze in Fitchburg.
Firefighters at the scene of the Wednesday morning blaze in Fitchburg.

FITCHBURG — A single-family house on Highview Street was heavily damaged by fire late Wednesday morning.

Homeowner Guillermo Reyes said he saw fire in the basement of 111 Highview St. around 11 a.m. and got his wife and three kids out of the house. The family's pet ferret died, Reyes said.

The flames soon spread to the second floor and the attic of the two-story Colonial.

According to Fitchburg Fire Chief Dante Suarez, the fire went to three alarms, bringing in crews and support from around the region.

Fitchburg firefighters work the scene of the Wednesday-morning blaze.
Fitchburg firefighters work the scene of the Wednesday-morning blaze.

The remote location and steep hill contributed to low water pressure initially, Suarez said.

Firetrucks were lined up along nearly the entire length of Highview Street, off River Street near S.S. Lobster.

There were no injuries to the residents or firefighters.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Telegram & Gazette photographer Rick Cinclair contributed to this story.

This article originally appeared on Leominster Champion: Fitchburg house gutted by fire; family gets out OK