2-Alarm Fire In Brookline Near Packard's Corner Displaces 30

BROOKLINE, MA — About 30 people were displaced Monday night after a two-alarm fire ripped through an apartment building in Brookline near Packard's Corner Monday evening.

Fire officials said everyone was able to get out safely and no one was injured, but it's not yet clear what caused the fire.

Someone reported smoke just after 4 p.m. and when firefighters arrived they saw heavy smoke coming from the top floor of the eight-unit stucco wood frame building at 16 Hamilton Rd.

Because of the heavy smoke and difficulty finding a working hydrant nearby, Deputy Fire Chief Colin O'Connell to call a second alarm, prompting backup from Boston and Cambridge firefighters. Officials could be heard on police and fire scanner radio regularly asking firefighters to be careful on the roof of the building, worried about its stability.

The MBTA coordinated getting a bus to the area for residents displaced by the fire to have a place to sit. The Red Cross was also called in to help displaced residents.

Around 5:20 p.m. firefighters reported they had put out the bulk of the fire and were checking to make sure there were no hot spots. By 6:20 p.m. crews were wrapping up and noted that there was significant structural damage to the roof.

Roads leading to Hamilton Rd. were blocked for hours and thick dark smoke was visible from both Commonwealth Avenue and reported from Harvard Street.

Jenna Fisher is a news reporter for Patch. Got a tip? She can be reached at Jenna.Fisher@patch.com or by calling 617-942-0474. Follow her on Twitter and Instagram (@ReporterJenna). Have a something you'd like posted on the Patch? Here's how.