A Friday night fire in the South End neighborhood of this city rose to five alarms and displaced 16 residents from their apartments before being knocked down. The first 911 calls started coming into Springfield Fire Alarm before eleven o'clock and by the time first due Engine 1 and Truck 1 arrived 5 minutes later, the wood frame porches on the Charlie side of this four story, ordinary construction apartment block were well involved in fire. With heavy fire venting from the first floor Bravo side and heavy fire consuming the porches from the first to the fourth floors, the second alarm was struck quickly. Crews began knocking down the fire from the exterior with hand lines and master streams before transitioning to an interior attack. Heavy and/or moderate smoke conditions were reported on all four floors as crews made their way up, which prompted Wilcox St. Command to skip the third alarm and strike the fourth alarm within minutes. Fourth alarm companies (2 engines and 2 ladders by Springfield's running card) were all mutual companies from suburban departments who were still in route to the city so there was a minor delay in getting more manpower on scene. Once this manpower arrived on scene, crews were dispatched to each floor to assist SFD companies in advancing additional hand lines and opening walls and ceilings to look for extension. After the main body of fire was knocked down on scene and primarily due to the size of the apartment block and need for extensive overhaul, the fifth alarm was struck to bring in additional mutual aid companies to relive those already on scene.

Only two minor, none life threatening injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation though SFD investigators have determined the point of origin to be in the first floor apartment living room. The displaced tenants all received help from the Red Cross.