Two Boston firefighters were killed Wednesday battling a nine-alarm fire in the city’s Back Bay neighborhood the city’s fire chief confirmed.
Reports from the scene described a hectic environment with a large fire that kept burning for hours after the first alarm sounded. Records indicate the structure that caught fire is a four-unit apartment building at 298 Beacon.
The names of the firefighters killed are Lt. Ed Walsh, who was died in the basement of the building, and Michael Kennedy, who died after being taken to the hospital, reports New England Cable News.
18 people in all were taken to the hospital with injuries related to the blaze, an official said.
How the firefighters were killed was not immediately clear. The Boston Globe reports that officials said some firefighters had become trapped in the building’s basement. A fire department spokesman told reporters that three firefighters were injured.
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Why Biden Dropped Out
- Ukraine’s Plan to Survive Trump
- The Rise of a New Kind of Parenting Guru
- The Chaos and Commotion of the RNC in Photos
- Why We All Have a Stake in Twisters’ Success
- 8 Eating Habits That Actually Improve Your Sleep
- Welcome to the Noah Lyles Olympics
- Get Our Paris Olympics Newsletter in Your Inbox
Contact us at letters@time.com