SOMERVILLE, Mass.- A five-alarm fire destroyed the Rei Da Picanha restaurant and Damata Barbershop in Somerville on Monday night and caused heavy damage to other businesses along Broadway. Two firefighters suffered electrical shocks while responding to the blaze and were taken to a hospital, where they were later released.
On October 12, the Somerville Fire Department responded at 9:58 p.m. to a report of smoke coming from a one-story commercial building at 129-131 Broadway. Firefighters arriving at the scene encountered heavy smoke and heat coming from the basement and initially attempted to locate and extinguish the fire from inside.
As conditions worsened, firefighters were ordered to evacuate the building for safety reasons. Crews then attacked the fire from outside using three aerial ladders and multiple large hoses.
The building’s first floor and roof collapsed, making the fire more difficult to extinguish. Firefighters worked for more than eight hours before bringing the blaze under control and fully extinguishing it.
The Rei Da Picanha restaurant and Damata Barbershop were total losses, according to the fire department. The Total Wireless store at 133 Broadway also sustained heavy damage after firefighters opened the roof and removed ceilings to prevent the fire from spreading beyond a fire-resistant wall. Other businesses, including Santander Bank, sustained smoke damage.
The five-alarm response brought firefighters from Belmont, Boston, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Lexington, Malden, Medford, Revere and Stoneham. Fire departments from other cities also helped cover Somerville fire stations during the incident.
The cause of the fire remains undetermined, according to the Somerville Fire Department.
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