By
The Associated Press
BOSTON - Three wind-swept fires destroyed 10 triple-unit apartment buildings and a house during the weekend in South Boston, sending 120 residents fleeing into the streets.
There were no serious injuries. More than 200 firefighters battled the blazes that began late Saturday as wind gusted to 30 mph.
The biggest fire destroyed seven of the buildings known in Boston as triple-deckers. That fire and one that consumed three other triple-deckers caused an estimated $4.6 million in damage. The causes were under investigation but arson was not suspected.
"It looked like a 747 had gone down there," Fire Chief Paul Christian said. "There were heavy balls of smoke roiling above the buildings with flames jutting 40 feet above the rooftops."
Firefighter Bill Puglia lost his own home of 34 years. His family was awakened by a smoke alarm as the largest of the three fires spread from an adjoining house into his.
"I've seen it all and I've felt people's pain before," he said. "But, you know, we're all here. That's the main thing."
The smallest fire destroyed a single-family home and was believed to have started with an overheated clothes dryer.
