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Red Cross Assisting 10 Adults, 3 Children After Fire

Crews from Wilmington, North Reading and Burlington are responding to the scene.

 

Update at 10:19 p.m.: According to Red Cross Communications Manager Ashley Studley, the organization will continue to assist impacted families throughout the weekend with a hotel stay before meeting with them again to determine further needs.

Studley said it's not clear how many total residents were displaced by the fire, but she said the Red Cross is assisting 10 adults and 3 children after Friday's fire that gutted the Avalon Oaks apartment building.

Updated at 8:02 p.m.: While crews will likely be working through the night on Avalon Drive and multiple units have been destroyed, Wilmington Fire Lt. John Brown confirmed to Patch that all residents escaped the fire and are accounted for.

Brown said there were no injuries as a result of the fire and said more details will be available at a later time. Red Cross volunteers are still working with residents who were displaced by the fire.

Updated at 7:40 p.m.: Multiple Patch readers have reached out offering to help the residents who are displaced after today's fire. According to Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts, donating to the organization is the best way to help.

"One way they can help is by making a donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief fund, which supports our response to fires like the one in Wilmington," Communications Manager Ashley Studley told Patch.

Donations can be made by visiting the Red Cross website.

Updated at 6:21 p.m.: Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts has issued a statement, saying they are on scene in Wilmington. The statement reads as follows:

"American Red Cross volunteers right now are assisting at least 18 people affected by an apartment fire at 4121 Avalon Drive in Wilmington.

We know that at least 18 people from 10 units have been affected by the fire, and we are working with the fire department to arrange for emergency temporary shelter at a hotel and safe transportation."

Updated at 6:14 p.m.: The Wilmington Fire Department just put in a call to the State Fire Marshal's officer, which has an investigator on his way to the scene of Friday's Avalon Oaks fire.

Updated at 6:04 p.m.: A rehabilitation and incident command bus from the Department of Fire Services was en route to the scene and had nearly arrived at about 6 p.m.

Updated at 5:40 p.m.: As heard over the scanner, an ambulance was requested for a 35-year-old female who is 13 weeks pregnant. The woman reported that she was having difficulty breathing.

Updated at 5:23 p.m.: Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts just reported on Twitter that they are looking to make arrangements for the families impacted by the fire.

"Volunteers right now are trying to arrange temporary shelter at a hotel for 18+ (people) displaced by a fire in Wilmington," they tweeted.

The fire is in the building at 4121 Avalon Drive.

Updated at 4:52 p.m.: Multiple reports indicate that the fire has reached a fourth alarm as flames are still visible through the roof of the apartment complex.

Crews are running lines from hydrants on surrounding streets, including Arlene Ave.

Updated at 4:31 p.m.: According to multiple scanner reports, at around 4:30 p.m. evacuation alarms began sounding and firefighters have been order out of the building.

The fire is reportedly still heavy, with a propane explosion occurring on the third floor.

Original Story: Wilmington firefighters are responding to a three-alarm fire inside the Avalon Oaks apartment building with the assistance of crews from Burlington and North Reading.

As initially indicated on scanner reports Tweeted by Chris Stygles and confirmed by several other accounts, flames kicked up on a fourth floor porch just before 4 p.m. and the visible flames have quickly spread, causing a third alarm to be called in.

A witness at the scene reported that the flames were visible immediately when arriving in the area.

Scanner reports indicated that the building was evacuated, and firefighters are searching the building for residents as they fight the flames.

Check back for more details as they become available and for up to the minute updates follow Wilmington Patch on Facebook and Twitter.

Related Topics: Avalon Oaks Fire, Breaking News, Wilmington Fire, and Wilmington Fire Department

Jenn Spear

5:05 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Matt any word on families? We have a few from The Learning Experience there!

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Matt Schooley

5:15 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

I have not heard anything about the families, but will be working throughout the night to update this story with any details possible.

Lisa Stribley

5:24 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Which Avalon Oaks site? Which building?

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Matt Schooley

5:27 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

The fire is at 4121 Avalon Drive, which is just off of I-93, near West Street.

Pt

5:26 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

I live in Avalon 2 buildings down from the one on fire as of right now at 520 it seems they have the fire somewhat under control there are no more flames visible just smoke no one would say the cause but it seems that everyone got out safely but the fire looked like the start in the back of the building on the 4th floor/roof and then flames spread to the roof in the front of the building all on the right. Very scary thing but the firefighters are doing their best considering the weather but as of right now it does seem that they have the flames under control.

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kelly

5:34 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

is it 4100 or 4200 my friend lives there and is out of town hes frantic?

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Matt Schooley

5:42 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Kelly,
The address given for the fire was 4121 Avalon Drive. Hope this helps.

Matt

Pt

5:26 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Avalon oaks next to 93 and building 4

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Jennifer Chioccariello

5:35 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

My heart is going out to the residents!

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Just ME

5:39 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Is it true that the RED CROSS refused to come out and help the displaced families?

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Matt Schooley

5:42 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

This was the update I came across:

Updated at 5:23 p.m.: Red Cross of Eastern Massachusetts just reported on Twitter that they are looking to make arrangements for the families impacted by the fire.

"Volunteers right now are trying to arrange temporary shelter at a hotel for 18+ (people) displaced by a fire in Wilmington," they tweeted.

The fire is in the building at 4121 Avalon Drive.

Just ME

5:44 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

I thought I heard that WPD had to make all arrangements (transportation/hotel arrangements) themselves ... either way I hope everyone's ok

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Bob Smith

5:56 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

OK a couple things Avalon Dr is nowhere near West St and the WPD doesn't take care of the residents it's the Red Cross or the WFD

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Matt Schooley

5:58 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Avalon Drive near Ballardvale Street is the location. They've been tapping into hydrants at nearby streets such as Arlene Ave. and Ballardvale.

Erin

6:11 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Did it affect any other buildings? I live in the complex but am out of town and my cat is in my apt

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Dave

10:00 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

No It didn't effect any other buildings. I was contained to building 4 but my guess is that building 4 was a total loss. The flames were something you would see in a movie.

Steve fratus

6:12 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Does anyone know what started the fire??

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Jennifer

6:15 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Hi Matt,
I am glad to hear that it ounds like everyone is okay.
I am the manager of a neighboring apartment community. I have some vacant homes available. If anyone who has been displaced is interested in contacting us, I would like to assist them by offering a reduced security deposit of $99(with approved credit) and no application fee to rent. If there is anything else we can do, please let me know. I would be happy to ask our residents and employees to donate household items, coats, and so forth.
I am not giving our community name as I don't think it's appropriate to advertise and I am not looking for free publicity. Just let me know if I can help.
-Jennifer

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Jennifer

8:41 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Hi Jennifer -

My sister is one of the displaced families with 2 kids in the local schools. Could you email me your contact information in case she'd like to reach out to you? Jennifer.lisman@gmail.com.

Thank you for your generous offer.

- Jennifer

Kathy B

6:20 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

it's not the one off West st Matt, it's off Middlesex Ave. There are so many in Wilmington it gets confusing. The one on fire is the original.

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Susan

7:15 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

It's the original larger Avalon Oaks community near the 93 highway near route 125, not the Avalon Oaks West on Evergreen Drive off Salem Street.

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Tessa Rouillard

7:24 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

If anyone needs to house a pet in the interim, they could contact me. tessalyn7@aol.com

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c

10:57 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

That's a very nice offer. I'm glad to see someone thinking about pets.

Adrean

7:59 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

Thats so crazy I live at Avalon Oaks West, and just got an email, about the fire.. Im so sorry, for the residents.

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lb

11:02 pm on Friday, February 8, 2013

i believe bldg 4200 got evacuated as well.....theres only 2 avalons in wilmington and no oaks is not near west st....it was surreal here for sure....they are saying a gas grill on the balcony...shameful since they are not allowed...so sad

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