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Fitchburg Firefighters Rescue Woman From Third Floor Of Burning Home

FITCHBURG (CBS) – Firefighters rescued a woman and several animals trapped inside a burning home in Fitchburg Monday morning. Crews arrived to the Holt Street home around 9 a.m. and jumped into action.

Firefighters say when they arrived, a neighbor was trying to get Evelyn Marrero's mother in law – Marie, to come down a ladder from the third floor. Marie, who suffers from a leg injury - was too scared.

"I was scared for her," said neighbor Miles Batchelor. "The fire was like all up the third floor."

holt fire fitchburg
A house fire displaced six people on Holt Street in Fitchburg (WBZ-TV)

Evelyn Marrero says her smoke detectors had been malfunctioning recently and she wasn't sure if this was a real emergency.

She said once she realized it was - she tried to put the fire out herself, but couldn't.

"I had to run all the way to the second floor. That is being three floors," Marrero said. "And trying to do everything, as fast as I can, but the fire was faster than me."

Fitchburg rescue
A woman was rescued from a burning home in Fitchburg (WBZ-TV)

Firefighters also rescued the family's exotic parrot, doves and chickens. Marrero's granddaughter brought the family dog out with her as the family ran to safety.

"The house that's material. At least nobody in the family get hurt," Marrero said.

The Red Cross tweeted that a team from Worcester responded to help the displaced people.

It's not clear yet what caused the fire.

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