Eight Rescued, Dog Dies in New Bedford Two-Alarm Fire

NEW BEDFORD — A mother and her infant were among the eight people rescued from a two-alarm fire at a New Bedford apartment building that claimed the life of a dog.

An automatic fire alarm at the Roosevelt Apartments at 415 County Street activated at 11:59 p.m. Monday night, alerting New Bedford firefighters, according to a release from the department.

District Chief Steven Beaulieu arrived to find a fire in the back of a fourth floor apartment and called a second alarm.

Get our free mobile app

Five fire engines and ladder companies, along with the air supply unit, responded to the scene.

Fire crews rescued five residents — including a young mother and an infant — using fire escapes and ground ladders, with no injuries reported among them, the release stated.

Three occupants were carried to safety from the fourth floor by New Bedford police officers, according to the department.

Two of the police officers were taken to St. Luke's Emergency Department with unknown injuries, and two firefighters were treated at the scene by city EMS crews.

None of the eight people rescued needed to be taken to the hospital, the fire department stated.

But the release noted that one dog died in the fire, while several cats were rescued from multiple floors.

A large number of tenants have been displaced and are being assisted by the American Red Cross and local and state emergency management agencies, although an exact number was not given.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.