Fire engulfs five buildings in Lawrence, displacing more than 20

Authorities are investigating a fire that engulfed five buildings in Lawrence Tuesday, displacing more than 20 people.

The Lawrence Fire Department responded to multiple 9-1-1 calls reporting the fire at 324 Lowell St. and when firefighters arrived at the scene, they found the multi-family dwellings at 324 and 326 Lowell St. ablaze, Fire Chief Patrick Delaney told reporters Tuesday night.

“This fire had a good head start on us,” he said.

The five-alarm fire ultimately spread to cause serious damage to five multi-family occupied buildings, one of which had a restaurant on the ground floor, and Delaney said several firefighters had to be treated for heat exhaustion as they battled the blaze in the high temperatures and humidity.

No civilian injuries were reported.

Other nearby homes s