Crews responded to the fire in the Trask Court neighborhood around 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 29, the department said on Facebook. Upon arrival, firefighters saw heavy smoke coming from the building.
As crews worked to control the flames, a third alarm was struck and additional crews from several neighboring departments were called in. The fire took about 10 hours to contain, Beverly Fire said.
The Red Cross of Massachusetts said between 40 and 50 people were displaced while two dogs died in the fire, 7News reports. At least one cat was also reported missing, the outlet said.
The building was deemed a total loss as well, 7News added. Crews were assessing the cause of the fire throughout the day Friday as well as checking for hot spots, Beverly Fire said.
Several GoFundMe campaigns have since been launched to help families impacted by the fire. One has been created for a couple who "lost their apartment and everything in it," while another will support a couple of an 11-month-old baby and dog who were also displaced.
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