Worcester Apartment Fire Forces Dozens Out Into Cold

WORCESTER (CBS) – 12 families were forced out of their homes and into the cold early Tuesday morning after a fire spread to their apartment building.

The four-alarm fire started in a building under construction on Charlton Street around 2:20 a.m. and spread to two others before collapsing.

WBZ-TV's Sera Congi reports

"The fire station's actually 1,000 yards away from here and some of the guys looked out the window and all they saw was a ball of fire," Worcester Fire Capt. William Metterville told WBZ-TV.

One of the remaining buildings was vacant.  The other was home to 38 people.  All escaped safely.

Firefighters had a difficult time because they had to deal with three frozen fire hydrants at the scene.

There's no word yet on how the fire started.

The Red Cross is finding temporary homes for the 12 families.