SPRINGFIELD, MA (WGGB/WSHM) – Witnesses recall what they saw in the aftermath of a seven-alarm fire in Southbridge. One person told Western Mass News he saw someone throw something at the building just before it caught fire.

“This is crazy. “We started panicking, we started knocking on everyone’s door to get out,” the woman explained.

Panic and frightening moments occurred on Union Street in Southbridge in the early hours of Wednesday morning as fire and smoke broke out from the top of six three-storey multi-family apartment buildings, eventually spreading to a second building. Now that the hot spots are out, the focus shifts to the cause of the fire. A woman we spoke to who did not want her face to be shown lived two doors away and told us early on what she heard and saw.

“We just saw someone in the backyard. He came onto my back porch and my dog ​​started freaking out and my girlfriend came out and started arguing with him to get out of the yard and one of her friends came out to help and eventually my dog ​​stopped throwing things in the yard. The first building started a fire.” the woman added.

Western Mass News also spoke with Maritza Figueroa, who lives on Oliver Street and had a good view of the fire. He said he feared for his safety after allegations that someone threw something at the first building and started a fire.

“So yeah, I mean I guess we all are. If one building catches fire, you never know, the next one might catch fire too. It’s very scary, especially when you have little ones,” Figueroa added.

Southbridge Fire Chief Paul Normandin was asked if there was any truth to these claims. “At this point an investigative team is coming from the fire chief’s office and we also have our own southbridge fire investigation unit on scene investigating these allegations.”

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