Two dead, 17 hurt in historic Boston neighborhood blaze -report

Two firefighters were reported killed and at least 17 people injured as a nine-alarm fire raced through a four-story building in the city’s historic Back Bay neighborhood on Wednesday, drawing a large-scale emergency response, local officials said. The Boston Globe, quoting two people with direct knowledge of the fire, said the two Boston firefighters died while battling the blaze but gave no further details. All residents of the apartment building escaped unharmed, said Boston Fire Department spokesman Steve MacDonald. With the winds, “it’s hard fighting it from the outside.” Boston Emergency Medical Service said it had taken 17 people to area hospitals.