Cause of house fire still under investigation

April 8, 2014 Cause of house fire still under investigation

By Paul Tennant ptennant@eagletribune.com The Eagle Tribune Tue Apr 08, 2014, 12:12 AM EDT

NORTH ANDOVER The front of the 2-family house at 103-105 Second St. is heavily charred, both front porches are gone and much of the siding is melted, but the basic structure of the wooden frame building is largely intact, fire Chief Andrew Melnikas said.

The house was heavily damaged by a 3-alarm fire that broke out around 1:45 p.m. Friday. Firefighters had the fire under control within an hour, Melnikas said, and no one was injured.

The house is owned by David Holland, of 105 Second St., according to assessors records. Holland could not be reached yesterday.

The residents of the house were placed in temporary housing Friday night through a cooperative effort by the American Red Cross and Emergency Management Director Jeffrey Coco, Melnikas said.

The fire started somewhere between the front porches, the chief said. Firefighter Daniel Ryan is investigating the cause.

The houses on Second Street are fairly close together. Firefighters poured water on the adjacent 2-family house at 107-109 Second St. to protect it from the blaze.

They saved the house, but the force of the water broke four windows on the side facing 103-105 Second St.

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Cause of house fire still under investigation