LAWRENCE — Firefighters extinguished a two-alarm blaze that damaged two Tower Hill homes this morning.
One firefighter suffered a hand laceration, but other than that, no people were injured in the fire that began at 132 Byron Ave. and spread onto next-door 130 Byron Ave., but two cats died and a neighbor rescued a third, neighbors and firefighters said.
Lawrence firefighters received the call about the fire at 10:27 a.m. They could see the smoke when they left Central Fire Station, said Deputy Chief Brian Murphy.
The homes are located near the Methuen border. Fortunately, Murphy said, Methuen firefighters received a call from someone who thought the fire was in Methuen. Methuen firefighters showed up at the same time, and both Lawrence and Methuen called in second alarms, Murphy said.
The amount of damage would have been worse if Methuen hadn’t shown up, Murphy said. Firefighters found a 20-pound propane tank behind 132 Bryon Ave., but they moved it before it could explode, Murphy said.
The residents of 132 Byron Ave., Sherri Carter and her mother, Nancy Carter, returned home from shopping to see flames shooting from the back of their house, Sherri Carter said.
Two elderly cats, Princess and Malliah, died in the fire, Sherri Carter said.
But Mike Viger, a neighbor from nearby Olive Avenue, ran inside and saved a third cat, Samhain, who is 6.
Viger initially rushed to the home to see if people were trapped. Nancy Carter informed him that no people were in there, but three cats were. He looked through the front door and saw Samhain, so he ran inside and grabbed the female cat “by the scruff of its neck and got it out,” he said.
Viger said he’s not a hero and described himself as an animal lover.
“We have a cat and I’ve had dogs my whole life,” he said.
Sherri Carter said she’d like to give Viger “just a huge ‘thank you,’ because my cat’s my baby.”
The residents of 130 Byron Ave., Ken and Karen Serverius, made it out safely with their cat, Ken Serverius said.
Firefighters cut power and gas to the homes. They remained on scene this afternoon to investigate and figure out what caused the blaze, which appears to have ignited in the rear of 132 Byron Ave., Murphy said.
The residents said they’ll stay with friends and family.
