Six-alarm fire rips through grandstand at historic Suffolk Downs racetrack
A six-alarm fire that started Monday night ripped through the historic Suffolk Downs racetrack grandstand building in Boston, according to the local fire department.
The Boston Fire Department was deployed Monday night around 10 p.m. ET. Firefighters battling the blaze were told to get off the roof and were assisted by a drone to help put out the fire, the department tweeted.
Investigators don't know how the fire started and there was no report of injuries. The department tweeted "heavy fire knocked down" at 1:21 a.m.
"We had a very difficult time with water. It was very limited here. We had a lot of help to get lines running thousands of feet," Boston Fire Department Commissioner Jack Dempsey said, according to WCVB5.
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Suffolk Downs was built in 1935 and held live races until 2019, but the building stayed open to simulcast events, including simulcasting races on Memorial Day.
The fire is now thru the roof of the building , all companies are working. pic.twitter.com/p0EUFDkp28
— Boston Fire Dept. (@BostonFire) May 31, 2022
HYM Investment Group bought the site in 2017 and planned on redeveloping the 161-acres of land into affordable housing and a science lab.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Suffolk Downs fire: Six-alarm blaze rips through racetrack grandstand
