After massive Westboro fire, couple recounts dramatic rooftop rescue – Boston News, Weather, Sports

Lina PortmanJune 3, 2024

0 1 minute read

WESTBORO, MASS. (WHDH) – A couple forced to leave their home after a fire in Westboro over the weekend is now telling their story of escape – and how they ended up being rescued from their roof.

Thomas Cardinale and his girlfriend were sleeping shortly before 2 a.m. Sunday in their third-floor apartment when they were awakened by the sound of smoke detectors.

“It happened so quickly,” Cardinale said. “We got out of bed, opened our door and saw smoke. So we started rushing to get what we thought we needed for dressing etc.

The fire consumed a Westboro building housing a restaurant and Cardinale's apartment. The building was declared a total loss.

Cardinale said the flames spread quickly and he and his girlfriend were forced to make a quick decision.

“There was way too much smoke, you couldn’t even see down the stairs,” he said. “We went up to the roof, the roof was on fire at the time so we had to climb to the highest point of the roof and wait for the firefighters to get us down.”

Cardinale's girlfriend had her cell phone and was able to call the fire department from the roof.

Westboro Fire Chief Patrick Purcell said crews could see their silhouettes on the roof in the smoke.

“When crews arrived, they did an incredible job with the resources they had to not only put out the fire, but also intervene in rescuing civilians trapped on the roof,” Purcell said.

Cardinale and his girlfriend were able to safely descend on ladders brought by firefighters and emerged from the flames unscathed.

“The important take-home message is that they were alerted by their working smoke detectors here,” Purcell said. “If they hadn’t operated, I think the scenario could have been different here.”