Family Displaced After Fire at Princeton Street Home

A Danvers family was burned out of their house Tuesday afternoon in the Woodvale neighborhood of town.

Firefighters responded to 14 Princeton St. around 3:30 p.m. on a report of a fire at a single-family home. The bulk of the fire was knocked down shortly before 4 p.m. No injuries were reported.

WBZ-TV reported though that two pet cats died in the fire while two dogs escaped unharmed.

Fire Chief Kevin Farrell said a woman had apparently returned home with her son and discovered the fire. He said the two of them and a second child would have to find other lodging for the night due to extensive damage to the home.

Farrell said flames were coming out through a window in the front of the home when crews arrived. A total of four engines responded to the scene, along with other personnel and police.

According to initial scanner chatter, a couch inside the home had caught fire, but Farrell couldn't confirm that at the time.

As of 4:30 p.m., numerous firefighters were still actively working on the house to douse any remaining hotspots and checking to see if the fire extended into the eaves of the roof.

Smoke could be seen rising through a hole in the roof, but Farrell said that opening was made by firefighters to vent the house.

He said the fire was contained to one room, but there was extensive damage throughout the home from smoke and heat.

Princeton Street also remained closed to traffic. Peabody and Beverly engines provided station coverage for Danvers.

The fire came just as a serious winter storm was rolling into the region and temperatures had already dropped to around 13 degrees in town. Snow began to fall around 4:45 p.m.