Lowell Fire

A judge has refused to lift a temporary restraining order that would have allowed for the demolition of a Lowell apartment building that burned down last week, killing seven tenants. The city and the building's owner want the building torn down, citing public safety and health concerns, now that a state investigation has determined that the three-alarm blaze was caused by an electrical accident...

Gov. Deval Patrick says the fire that killed seven people in Lowell could prompt a discussion about current fire safety laws, such as whether older buildings should be retrofitted with sprinkler systems. Patrick also said Friday that he had spoken with the city's mayor and the state's fire marshal to get an early assessment of whether ``appropriate warning systems'' were in place at the apartment