Fire officials investigating cause of massive Cambridge fire

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — Fire investigators are trying to determine what caused the huge blaze that ripped through a Cambridge neighborhood, displacing more than 100 people but "miraculously" resulting in no serious injuries or deaths.

The 10-alarm fire destroyed or damaged 15 buildings and 10 cars Saturday. Some first responders suffered minor injuries. Cambridge Assistant Fire Chief Gerard Mahoney says it's "nothing short of a miracle" no one was killed. He credits the fact the blaze started shortly before 3 p.m.

“The people here are lucky because if this were late at night I think it would have turned out to be a little different,” Joe Mederios said.

Fire crews were on the scene Sunday assessing the structural integrity of the buildings and hosing down hot spots after what was the biggest fire in more than 30 years.

“I heard there was a fire in a dumpster, whether there was something in the dumpster that exploded and it just went this way and it was atrocious,” one neighbor said.

A Mayor's Fire Relief Fund has been created online to help families. The Red Cross and local officials are assessing their needs.

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Associated Press