Four adults and three children were displaced late Monday afternoon when a fire broke out at a single-family home on Portland Street in Haverhill.
The fire, which went to two alarms, was reported at 5:18 p.m., at 26 Portland St. Fire Chief Robert M. O’Brien said arriving firefighters found flames on the first floor, which penetrated into the wall, and smoke on the second. As a precaution, Deputy Fire Chief Christopher Link called a second alarm, bringing in another ladder truck and mutual aid from Lawrence, Georgetown and Groveland. The fire was contained by 6 p.m.
“It was very good stop considering what they had to work with,” O’Brien told WHAV.
O’Brien said fire investigators are leaning toward a wood stove on the first floor as a “contributing factor” to starting the fire.
The fire chief said there were no injuries reported, but the house cannot be occupied until repairs are made to electrical wiring damaged by fire.
City records show the 1900-era house is owned by Joy Edobor-Ovabor.