and ANDREW CASTILLO
GREENFIELD — An early morning fire in Greenfield Monday left victims wondering where they will go next.
“Pretty much screwed, dude,” said Ron Blume, a resident of 114 Wells St., who was inside the house when fire broke out on the porch. “Don’t have a pair of socks, don’t have underwear, nothing.”
The Greenfield Fire Department said that no one was injured, but 10 people were displaced.
The state fire marshal’s office said that the fire was started by a cigarette that was not properly extinguished .
“Surreal,” said Madelynn Malloy, who was inside during the blaze. “I woke up about 3 a.m. to one of my neighbors pounding on the window, screaming ‘get out, get out!’ I got out right before the windows exploded.”
“It went up like a matchbox,” Blume said.
Greenfield firefighters arrived at the fire a few minutes later and found the front of the house completely engulfed.
Neighbors described waking up to screams for help and flames licking high into the dark sky.
“Huge, huge flames and sparks from where the fire hit the wires. It just went up really fast,” said Beth Zabawa, who lives next door to the house.
Greenfield Fire Capt. Kyle Phelps said the department received calls around 2:50 a.m. about heavy flames.
Another resident, John Farrell, said he and his service dog, Tank, escaped by jumping through a second story window.
A second alarm was called and the crews were able to knock the down blaze in about a half hour.
Turners Falls, South Deerfield, Erving and Bernardston were called in to help fight the fire. Northfield, Northampton, Gill and Montague Center firefighters provided station coverage.
Greenfield Fire Capt. John Whitney said that the building has been condemned, and tenants will probably not be able to move back in the near future. The property was recently assessed at just over $200,000.
“Tens of thousands of dollars in damages, the second floor is a complete gut,” said Dwane St. Marie, the building’s property manager. “Seven people homeless and I’m business-less.”
The building’s tenants were taken to the Rodeway Inn on Route 2 and given a $170 gift card by the Red Cross. They are being charged a flat rate of $50 per night.
“Everything is gone,” said Kirsten Sweeney, who lived in the house. She said that she has no idea where she will go after the gift card is used up.
Blume added that without the Red Cross, they would have nothing.
The building is owned by Dale and Debra Mathey, who live in South Carolina.