Rescuers were working to save around 30 bottlenose dolphins that got stranded off the coast of Cape Cod early Monday morning. It is the largest known stranding of bottlenose dolphins off Massachusetts, according to the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

The dolphins had become stranded between First Light and Ellis Landing in Brewster at about 5:30 a.m. when they came in with the tide. A woman noticed the animals and reported it. The IFAW quickly responded to the area, but five to six of the marine mammals died before help arrived. 

The IFAW worked throughout the day on Monday to get the mammals away from the shoreline before the next low tide at 5:13 p.m. They said late Monday afternoon that they were still successfully being steered away. 

“Our team remains in the area to monitor and herd the animals away from shore,” an IFAW spokesperson said. “We know these events can sometimes repeat in the coming hours and days, but we remain hopeful.”

The organization said it had seen an uptick in bottlenose dolphins becoming stranded off Cape Cod in the last few years. 

“Bottlenose dolphins are typically an offshore species,” the spokesperson said.

They asked that anyone who encounters a stranded or distressed marine mammal not get close and never drag or push the animal back into the water. 

“Similar to a person involved in a car accident, dolphins can become injured and exhausted during a stranding event,” the IFAW said.

Instead, they recommend calling their IFAW stranding hotline at 508-743-9548.   

Firefighters in Lawrence, Massachusetts are working to contain a fire that damaged at least three buildings on Sunday afternoon.

Lawrence Fire Chief Patrick Delaney said they received multiple 911 calls about the buildings on fire at the intersection of Haverhill and Margin Street at about 12:45 p.m.

When firefighters arrived, there were three occupied multi-family buildings with heavy fire.

“Crews did an excellent job once they arrived on scene to make sure we did a primary search of all three buildings, make sure everybody was out,” Chief Delaney said.

No injuries have been reported. It is unclear how many people have been displaced from the three buildings that were on fire.

Chief Delaney said the firefighters were impacted by the hot weather. 

“The crews are working extremely hard, they’re taking a lot of heat in all three fire buildings and we’re trying to get crews in here to make sure that they’re safe and give them some relief,” Chief Delaney said.

Investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire. Firefighters from other nearby communities responded for mutual aid.

“We’re at a fourth alarm which brings a lot of resources to our city, but they’re well needed in a fire like this,” Chief Delaney said.  

Police are asking residents to avoid the area of Haverhill Street at Margin Street because of the fire.

Lawrence, Massachusetts is a city about 30 miles north of Boston.