Families Displaced After Fire Destroys Revere Triple-Decker

BOSTON (CBS) – A Revere triple-decker is a total loss following an overnight fire, but all residents were able to safely escape.

When firefighters arrived on Thornton Street late Tuesday night, heavy flames were ripping through the building.

Revere's Deputy Fire Chief, Anthony Giampietro says one challenge was the layout of the neighborhood.

"This is always a tough area for us," said Deputy Chief Giampietro. "These streets are narrow [with] a lot of cars on both sides"

The fire has since been knocked down, but about 20 people were displaced including children. The building is a total loss.

"I was just able to grab my daughter and run out of the door," resident Norma Mendoza said.

Danny Galvez, a neighbor who lives across the street watched from his balcony. "It was just a lot of fire coming out of the building," said Galvez.

From inside the house, Mendoza says things were even more intense.

"As soon as I opened my door, I couldn't see anything because the house was completely filled with smoke," she says.

The cause of the fire is not yet known. It appears the flames started in the rear of the building, possibly in the basement.