Boston Emergency Medical Services spokesman

Earlier today, Boston Emergency Medical Services spokesman Nick Martin said a total of 18 people had been transported to the hospital. It wasn’t immediately
clear who the other people transported from the scene were or what their conditions were.

Finn said firefighters, when they first arrived at the scene, saved a number of occupants trapped on upper floors.

Lt. Walsh was married with three children, two boys and a girl, all under the age of 10. He had worked for the department for 9 ½ years.
Kennedy was single, a Marine combat veteran. He had been on the job for 6 ½ years, said fire department spokesman Steve MacDonald.

The cause of the fire was being probed by Boston police and Boston Fire Department investigators, Finn said.
While cautioning that the investigation had to take its course, he said, “ I don’t have any reason to believe there’s any criminal intent here.”

He said the only thing he found suspicious was the fire’s “rate of travel,” which could well have been due to the wind.

Sam Wallace, who lives in the area, said he saw an explosion after the house caught fire.

“People were running out of the building screaming,” said Wallace, president of the Neighborhood Association of the Back Bay.
He said he saw several firefighters, many with soot covering their faces, being placed into ambulances.
“People were crying and weeping,” he said. “This has really been a sad day.”