Boston Fire Department
Firefighters used ladders while fighting the blaze.
By Sean Smyth and John R. Ellement Globe Staff August 31, 2016
The four-alarm fire that ripped through an Allston residential building early Wednesday, displacing 11 people, was caused by an electrical short circuit, and authorities are now investigating the property owner for running an illegal rooming house.
Some internal doors were secured with padlocks, in violation of city housing rules, said Lisa Timberlake, spokeswoman for the Inspectional Services Department.
Investigators have also discovered that six graduate students were among the 11 people displaced by the fire at 3o-32 Myrick St., which broke out around 12:25 a.m. and grew into a four-alarm blaze before firefighters knocked it down.
The city has cited the property owner for operating an unregistered rooming house, Timberlake said.
The home is technically a two-family home, but Fire Inspection Commissioner Buddy Christopher said it was broken up into several units, which is illegal.
"This is a classic example of landlords not paying attention to what their responsibilities are," Christopher told FOX25. Fire inspectors plan to cite the landlord and will meet with him Thursday morning.
The cause of the fire, which caused an estimated $1 million in damage, was determined to be an electrical short circuit in a second floor bathroom, the Boston Fire Department posted on its official Twitter account.
“Inspectional Services @ISDBoston will be dealing with property owner about running an unregistered rooming house,’’ the department posted on Twitter.
Timberlake said city officials are summoning the property owner or their representative to a public hearing at City Hall on Thursday to discuss violations found during the post-fire inspection.
One firefighter suffered a back injury battling the fire, officials said.
All of the residents escaped without injury.