Lynn, MA Fire Likely Caused By Gas Stove Malfunction, Officials Say

Lynn, MA fire likely caused by gas stove malfunction, officials say – NBC Boston

A massive blaze that sent towering flames above Lynn, Massachusetts, late Friday, destroying a church and damaging a home was accidental, fire investigators said Monday.

No one was hurt in the fire, but 18 people were displaced and the Iglesia Evangélica Congregaciónal church was destroyed, the Lynn Fire Department said Saturday. The fire originated in a multi-family building on Estes Street, then moved to the church on Chestnut Street.

Fire investigators said Monday that the fire started in the kitchen of a second-floor apartment and was likely caused by a malfunction of the gas stove or its piping. The exact nature of the malfunction could not be determined, they noted, but they believe the fire was an accident.

“More than a dozen people have been displaced, and many more lost a house of worship that represents a home away from home. We are deeply grateful that our residents are safe and that the fire was contained before it could spread further in this densely built neighborhood,” Lynn Fire Chief Daniel Sullivan wrote in a statement.

Residents described a chaotic scene at the church as the fire burned.

@mattfortintv This is Iglesia Evangélica Congregaciónal. People say it was total chaos during the fire Friday night. #fire #news #boston #massachusetts #fyp ♬ original sound – Matt Fortin

There were floor and roof collapses in the buildings, part of the “tough conditions” Sullivan said firefighters were dealing with as they worked to get control of the blaze. It was a cold and windy night — the wind contributed to an evacuation ordered for most of the block, according to Sullivan.

“When we arrived, the winds were so fierce, the embers were blowing across the main street here,” he said.

Crews from Swampscott, Melrose, Saugus, Revere, Salem, Marblehead, Peabody, Lynnfield, Chelsea, and Boston all responded to provide mutual aid. The Salvation Army and Red Cross were among the agencies helping people deal with the aftermath.

Flames poured from structures in Lynn on Friday night, with firefighters spraying water from ladders.