VIDEO: Four oceanfront summer homes were damaged by fire in Dartmouth Thursday afternoon, with flames lighting up the sky at Salters Point.
The exclusive South Dartmouth community is where generations of families come mostly to summer on the water. When firefighters got the call they knew it would be challenging saving the house and in part because of the wind making sure flames did not spread.
“It was just like a tinderbox. It was like a matchstick. The whole thing was just completely in flames. It was awful,” said resident Jane Zimmerman.
Jane Zimmerman took video of flames engulfing her neighbor’s house. She is one of a handful of full-time residents in the mostly summertime community.
“Thankfully, they weren’t home,” said Zimmerman.
The homes are around 100-years old and balloon-framed meaning they go up fast. And, the steady winds on the peninsula can easily spread the flames.
“I just panicked about whose house it was,” said Kathy Mowvray.