Three Saugus firefighters overcome by smoke and heat while fighting a futile battle to save a home on Essex Street issued a mayday call from inside the inferno and were safely rescued, Fire Chief Michael Newbury said.
The fierce flames were reported at 5 a.m., Newbury said, and are still raging in full view of the morning commute on Route 1, where the sun rose to reveal traffic at a standstill and plumes of smoke billowing over the highway.
"The firefighters from Engine 1 pulled a line through the front door. One crew went upstairs. A second line was pulled off Engine 1. That crew went downstairs," Newbury said. "In the time that the firefighters were attacking the fire they got overwhelmed by fire and heat.
"A call for a mayday came in from one of my firefighters. A fire captain from Saugus, a fire lieutenant from Malden and a firefighter from Malden were able to extricate three of our firefighters from the building and they were all out safely," the chief said.
Newbury told the Herald his department ordered everyone out of the structure as soon as the men became trapped and are maintaining an exterior attack only.
Newbury said one firefighter who was trapped suffered minor burns to his ears and the back of his neck.