Firefighters battled a large blaze in Brockton, Massachusetts, throughout the night.
The fire spread to several stores but was largely contained by Thursday morning.
The fire broke out in a large building housing several businesses and then spread to a house behind the building, causing minor damage including melting of the exterior walls.
The actual damage occurred to a building on Main Street near East Nilson Street.
Fire investigators are still determining the cause.
Firefighters battled a massive blaze throughout the night in Brockton, Massachusetts. Follow NBC10 Boston… Instagram: instagram.com/nbc10boston TikTok: tiktok.com/@nbc10boston Facebook: facebook.com/NBC10Boston X: twitter.com/NBC10Boston
Brockton Fire Chief Brian Nardelli said they were first called to the scene around 1:30 a.m. When first firefighters arrived on scene they found heavy smoke already coming from the ceiling of the building.
No one needed rescuing; two people in the building’s basement escaped on their own.
Nardelli said the fire was difficult to put out given the time it started and the higher-than-normal temperatures.
“When we first got around to the back of the building we saw two people coming out of the basement,” the fire chief said. “We believe they were in there but we’re not sure at this point. There was heavy fire all over the ceiling.”
The building also houses a soul food restaurant, a convenience store and a beauty salon, but none of them were open at the time.
No major injuries were reported, according to fire officials, and NBC10 Boston saw a woman being taken away in an ambulance, but she was awake and alert.