I called my friend L who lives in the house next door to the one that burned and she said that the people all got out okay. It's a house that's been divided into 2 apartments and the upstairs person was not home and the downstairs people got out.
The fire department broke into her apartment and made her leave. And then let her come back in - and as she is going back up to her apartment she saw her downstairs neighbors loading their cats into their car. Apparently, the firemen told them they had to get out because they were afraid the windows would explode. So L left and went to a local restaurant (up all hours).
And she saw the cops posting the red condemned notice on the house.