July 07--A five-alarm inferno on Mansfield Street in Allston sent 16 people scrambling for their lives early this morning and Boston firefighters battling both unbearable heat and flames that melted the siding off three abutting residences.
"They earned their money today. that's for sure," District Fire Chief Gerald Hogan said as he looked over a half-melted Nissan Murano and the charred remains of three porches that collapsed.
Hogan said everyone in the triple-decker was out when help arrived and crews of firefighters were rotated to stave off heat exhaustion.
Elizabeth Phloridis, whose father has owned the property more than 30 years, said there are 12 tenants.
"We're very very thankful that everyone is OK," Phlorides said of the blaze that broke out around 7:10 a.m.
The smoke could be smelled as far away as the Allston-Brighton tolls on the turnpike.
Hogan said the heaviest concentration of fire was on the first and second floors in the rear of the structure, but the cause remained under investigation.
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