Boston firefighters battle 3-story blaze in arctic, sub-zero temperatures

Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Firefighters battling a major fire in a Boston suburb over the weekend were also up against frigid sub-zero temperatures that literally froze water from the fire hose.

The blaze broke out late Saturday, officials said, as temperatures reached 2 degrees below zero -- part of an arctic cold front that swept the U.S. Northeast last week.

The cold weather affecting the region left firefighters in a "semi-icicle state" -- and quickly froze some ladders in place as they fought the flames.

"Certainly battling the weather conditions out here, the ice, the cold, it's very difficult," Boston Fire Commissioner Joseph Finn said.

One firefighter received minor injuries, officials said.

Hours after battling the fire, the Boston Fire Department announced the home and its neighbor would be a "complete and total loss" and noted the damage as being $1.5 million.

The fire department said the 14 residents of the home would be staying with friends and family and "had lost everything."

Joachim Martillo, who lives in a home next door that was also ruined, was forced to flee with his two children.

"We basically grabbed whatever we could and ran out," Martillo said.

The Boston Fire Department posted a number of photos to Twitter that showed icy and frigid conditions, including several firefighters with ice and frost on their uniforms.

In minus 18° F cold, Boston firefighters battle a blaze for hours, as their hats turn to ice blocks and their jackets become frozen solid. pic.twitter.com/kuOud2NCB5

- CBS News (@CBSNews) January 7, 2018