now at 6:30 just a few years after being damaged by a tornado, a south bridge apartment complex destroyed by fire. >> the mild air goes on and on, but there is a change coming, some cooler weather headed our way. >> waiting for answers about that run-away train, the operator in charge faces a hearing. >> and gronk is back as the patriots try to take back that first round bye. >> live from the channel 4 studios in boston, wbz news starts right now. rob gronkowski will be back on the field tonight in houston. good evening. i'm liam martin. thanks for joining us.

playing time against the texans as the pats try and break a two game losing streak. we have a preview of the game tonight against the texans. stan? >> reporter: thank you very much. last week the new england patriots had everything go wrong for them that possibly could go wrong in the 35-28 loss to the eagles. tonight that's behind them and they may have some good news, multiple reports saying rob gronkowski could be back after suffering that knee injury in denver which would certainly tonight. the buses arrived here at nrg field a few minutes ago and having gronk back in the game will help brady in a big way. without julian edelman and gronk brady was limited in his weapons a week ago and brady said you have to ignore the noise that comes with losing two in a row and focus on the task at hand. >> the adversity that we faced the last couple weeks and nobody likes to lose games, i think all of our quality of

but that's just the way it is. it should be important. it should hurt when you lose because we put a lot into it. so i just think we've done a good job preparing. we just got to execute better. i think we got to do a better job playing and then, you know, hopefully that results in wins. >> reporter: now about an hour ago the patriots reunion began here in houston. this is a nice site. tom brady and the defensive coordinator exchanging pleasantries with mike vr aib le and his son, a nice sight. win or lose join us after the game for the patriots 5th quarter show right here on wbz, the only place where you can see both bill belichick and tom brady press conferences live as soon as the game ends here in houston and yes, it's going to be a patriots reunion as we see

a lot of fun tonight, but, of course, the patriots want and need to come out with a win. live here in houston, now back to you. >> if the patriots were home, they'd be enjoying some real football weather tonight, but it looks like some rain is in the forecast tonight. yeah, a little rain may be coming our way, liam, tomorrow, but much of the day will probably be dry, but it will feel damp. it could be sprinkling, a spritz or two here. 47 in boston, relative humidity now. it's getting that feel there's going to be some rain. day. the actual high temperature for morning before dawn. here's where some of the rain is coming, in the middle of the nation some of that will start streaming in as a few sprinkles during the day.

changes ahead. i'll have that all in a few minutes. developing news tonight, in southbridge an apartment complex heavily damaged by fire, three people including a firefighter hurt. none of the injuries are serious and everyone else got out safely. this is the same complex that was badly damaged in a tornado in june, 2011. jim smith is live in southbridge tonight with this story. jim? >> reporter: the flames were put out hours ago, kate, but it's really frightening when you take a look at what's left of this end of this apartment complex. tonight the good news is somehow everybody got out safely. >> someone screaming and then loud crackling noises. >> reporter: the severe damage shows just how serious this fire was, a 16 unit building at the rose meade apartment complex reduced to charred framework and not much more. flames broke out about 9 a.m. and residents say it moved fast. >> giant ball of flames.

so if you think of a bone fire it, pretty much would be an epic -- bonfire, it pretty much would be an epic giant fire. >> reporter: no one was seriously hurt, but there wasn't much time to escape. >> flames were shooting up to the sky, big black plume of smoke and started running towards it and it only took a minute. by the time i got to the other end of the development and turned around and came back, the place was on fire. >> reporter: this development has been hit before badly damaged by that big tornado back in 2011, but believe it or not the fire chief says that tornado destruction indirectly saved the complex today. >> this building was also part of the damaged area when the tornado came through town. so this building was brought up to our brand-new code last five years. so we're very lucky that it was rebuilt to the new code standards. i think that's what helped keep the fire to this end of the building. >> reporter: back here live in southbridge as you can see, the

this 16 unit apartment building within this complex, but the good news is it didn't spread over further and this building itself, at least part of it, might be able to be somehow rehabbed. the chief says if this fire struck this building before the tornado, they problem would have lost the whole thing. -- probably would have lost the whole thing, so it's really ironic and the good news is nobody got hurt and the rest of this complex, all the other buildings are fine, a good job by firefighters and all concerned. live in southbridge jim smith, wbz news. also developing tonight police in new hampshire have arrested a suspected arsonist. say almost firefighters were called to -- salem firefighters were called to put out a fire on the rear deck of a home on main street. when crews arrived, they smelled gasoline on deck. firefighters contained the blaze to the deck and side of the home and tracked down a suspect. nobody was hurt. we'll have more on the story at 11:00 tonight. the red line operator whose train took off without him faces a disciplinary herring tomorrow.

operator david -- hearing tomorrow. governor charlie baker said operator david vazquez violated multiple safety procedures. a rubber cord was wrapped around throttle controls. the run-away train went for nine minutes before it came to a stop. a new hampshire teenager faces charges for driving over 100 miles an hour on 93. a trooper clocked 19-year-old joseph brown at 107 miles an hour this morning in windham. the trooper managed to pull him over and place him under arrest. he will be in court next month. wooster police have taken more than 200 guns off the streets thanks to what they call the most successful buyback in the program's history. people in wooster and 15 surrounding communities turned in 225 firearms. that included 50 replica pellet guns which police have been talking a lot about. in exchange for those epas with the police handed out -- weapons the police handed out gift cards worth up to $75.

attorneys in the danvers teen accused of murdering and raping his high school teacher in 2013, the attorneys saying their client was criminally insane at the time of the murder of colinephritisser. the prosecution -- colleen fritzer. the prosecution argues he's been faking insanity and knew what he was doing. the danvers community held a special concert in her honor and money from ticket sales will benefit the beloved teacher's foundation. >> reporter: the danvers high school auditorium transformed into a full blown holiday pop concert this weekend. this is a great time and we get to do some good with it. >> reporter: this year's concert will benefit the colleen e. ritzer scholarship fund with two other charities.

>> reporter: 17-year-old danial sacottle said it's been a really challenging year. >> her students really loved her. >> holiday and christmas time was so important to colleen and to have a concert like this at danvers high school and to benefit her fund is something that will carry her legacy for many years to come of the. >> reporter: this is obviously a very -- come. >> reporter: this obviously is a very difficult time for the community with the closing arguments this week, but the community says it's important to keep the memory of colleen ritzer alive. >> it's nice to do this kind of stuff and keep her memory alive. >> what she has meant to this community and her legacy especially for students who eventually want to go on and study education in college, her fund benefits those students. >> reporter: in danvers i'm paul burr ton, wbz news. ton-- paul burton, wbz news.

connecticut plans to honor the victims of the newtown shooting. >> is ted cruz donald trump's new biggest threat? why he's soaring in the polls just days before the next republican debate. >> and santa drops in for a special parade near the north end. >> closed captioning is brought to you by luna. >> get beautiful new floors right now with luna's incredible 70% off sale. visit luna.com or call 877-241-

anncr: when the attacks come here... ...the person behind this desk will have to protect your family. will he be impulsive and reckless, like donald trump? will he have voted to dramatically weaken counter-terrorism surveillance, like ted cruz? will he have skipped crucial national security hearings and votes just to campaign, like marco rubio? 27 generals and admirals support jeb bush. because jeb has the experience and knowledge to protect your family. right to rise usa is responsible for the content

tomorrow flags across connecticut will fly at half staff to mark the three year anniversary of the school shooting in newtown. 20 children and six adults were killed three years ago at sandy hook elementary. school officials say they'll try to make tomorrow as normal of day as possible for students. school will be open. tomorrow is the first time the

ted cruz has surged to the top of the pack to the race for the white house in iowa. brian webb breaks down the new numbers. >> reporter: donald trump spends the weekend taking aim at his usual suspects, u.s. muslims, gun control and illegal immigrants and now ted cruz. >> you look at the way he's dealt with a sit in where he goes in there frankly -- with the senate where he goes in there frankly like a little bit of a maniac. you'll never get things done that way. >> reporter: in iowa cruz has a 10 point lead over trump and a bigger lead over ben carson among iowa republicans. cruz's surge is pushed along by evangelicals and tea party conservatives. last week it was predicted he will inherit the anti- establishment vote. >> i believe gravity will bring both of those campaigns. i think the lion's share of those supporters come to us. >> reporter: the washington post reported last week some party elders are considering

trump said that would be a mistake and could force him to run as a third-party candidate. >> i signed a pledge, but the pledge was a double deal. it was supposed to be honorable. so we're going to find out. if it's that way, they're going to have problems. >> reporter: the iowa caucuses are set for february 1st. brian webb for cbs news, new york. the legal age to buy cigarettes in boston could go up next year. the city board of health votes this week on a proposal to raise the age for buying tobacco products from 18 to 21. mayor walsh proposed the measure to discourage young many retailers oppose the move saying there are better ways to oppose smoking. santa arrives by helicopter and hopped onto a fire truck to wave to the crowds on commercial street. elmo, hello kitty and the minions were all there, of course. this is the 45th year of the north end christmas parade, but

because it's just not feeling anything like christmas a week or two away. fallible. it didn't feel like -- fallish. it didn't feel like christmas. >> no. would you like the long shot >> yes. >> i don't know what that is. >> that's looking way out beyond going way out on alum beyond 10 days, close to -- a limb beyond 10 days, close to 10 days. right now -- don't hold me to have -- the maps are -- to this -- the maps are showing an incredible warm-up. it could be 65 to 70 degrees. it's too far away. >> don't worry. we won't tell anybody you just said that. you didn't hear anything. >> we're on live tv, but, you know. >> here we go. anything but snow is in the forecast, but we do have a snowy owl there, beautiful shot of this snowy owl taken today at castle island. thanks to eileen murphy for

the temperature in boston far from producing snow. that's for sure. another day over 50 degrees, 53 in boston early this morning way before dawn when the highest temperatures occurred. then during the day it was right around 50 or so, into the upper 40s now, but still that average. so far as far as number of 50- degree days in december, we've had nine so far in season. back in 2011, you remember that year, 2011 and 2012 we virtually had no winter whatsoever. we had 12 days and looks like we're going to have probably three more this week. so that will bring us up to 12 and then if we get that real warm surge, which is possible for next week when you get close to christmas, we'll have several more days and we could be over 50 degrees. look at all the red squares. it just goes on and on. this is a colossal astounding amount of temperatures today. these are the highs today, a few 40s way up north, but the rest of the nation, upper 60s, 70, near many, many record highs.

the edge and very close to us over the next couple days. the question is will this weather buckle back northward as a warm front to give us another shot at 60 degrees tomorrow evening and then early tuesday morning? in any event, it will be cloudy tonight and tomorrow. there could be maybe a little spritz or misting, a couple light showers. much of the time it will be dry but have a damp feel to the day. the afternoon showers will become more widespread. then tomorrow evening 8:00 some of the heavier showers start coming in from the west. there might be some isolated thunder, then clears out tuesday. we'll have varying amounts of clouds and sunshine tuesday with temperatures in the 50s. so 40s tonight, looks like high temperatures tomorrow will be in the upper 50s, but that is going to happen during tomorrow evening when it's the warmest part of the day like 8:00 to 10:00 at night. then it gets cooler wednesday, back to reality, back to

sunshine. rain comes in later thursday and early friday. next weekend will be cold, but again the chance is there it's really going to warm up the following week, which is christmas week. i'll see you tonight at 11:00. still ahead in sports we go back live to houston for a preview of tonight's game against the texans. >> and tom brady will have one of his favorite targets back on the field tonight, gronk.

patriots have a chance to pick up the no. 2 seed tonight and they get gronk back. >> good news. let's hope it continues through the night. steve burton is live with a look at the game. >> reporter: thank you very much, guys. patriots haven't lost three games in a row since 2002 and they certainly don't plan on doing that in houston. they lost in denver and philly, but there is some good news to

rob gronkowski could indeed play in tonight's game. the all world tight end missed last week's game against philly with a bone bruise and sprain of his right knee. he practiced during the week and the word is he might give it a go tonight in houston. with julian edelman out tom brady can use him. 87 back in the lineup. so let's go to houston where dan wilkes is standing by. they've got a former patriot quarterback playing for houston now, too right? >> reporter: yeah, they do, steve, vince wilfork and out there now is one nemesis for the patriots, big j.j. watt warming up on the field. wilfork was out there, has since disappeared, but brian hoyer, 18 touchdowns, only six interceptions on the season, none of which surprises his old coach. >> brian does a lot of things well. he did a lot of things well here. i mean the fact he came in as

the froster his rookie year at that position is pretty impressive that in itself. you know, he's smart. he's tough. he's accurate. he throws a very good deep ball. he's got great awareness on the field. he's a quality player that does a lot of things well, helps the team win a lot of different ways. >> reporter: well, win or lose join us after the game for the patriots 5th quarter show right here on wbz, the only place you can see both bill belichick and tom brady press conferences live as soon as the game ends here in houston. that's it for houston for now with the patriots and texans going at it in a huge game, but now back to the cbs team where you have some good news for the patriots fans already, right? >> you got that right. bengals hosting the for pittsburgh.

from there things getting worse for the bengals. quarterback andy dalton suffered a fracture in his throwing hand possibly while making this tackle after throwing an interception, didn't return and it's unclear how long he will be out. so the steelers never look back. william gay with a pick six. steeler roll to a 33-21 over cincinnati. how often do we ever root for pittsburgh? we do so today. that is the story, big game tonight. we'll see if the patriots can get it done. guys, back to you in the studio. >> they can get it done, confidence. spreading holiday cheer on two wheels. >> coming up the jingle ride makes a christmas tour through

lots of people took advantage of the relatively warm weather for a bike ride today. >> to make it extra special, why not? they wore holiday costumes about. 150 people road from arlington down to half square in the annual jingle ride as it's called and even stopped and sang christmas carols along the way. you guys do christmas carols? you guys like carolers? >> sometime a long time ago. >> is there video somewhere, snapshot? >> you don't want to see it. it's ugly. >> we'll find it on youtube somewhere. warm day to be dressed up as santa claus. >> oh, my gosh, the next couple days could be warm, but the warmest part of tomorrow and tuesday could be like this,

very early tuesday we could make a run at 60. then it's back to seasonal on wednesday. >> sound good. that does it for us. thanks for watching. >> live look at houston as we close it out tonight. we'll see you back here at 11:00. 60 minutes. on the tip of your tongue with dunkin' donuts' holiday- cookie-flavored coffees. after 12:00 p.m., enjoy any medium latte or macchiato for $1.99.

it's the holidays. and of course, everyone wants to get online at once. to watch things. buy things. but slow internet makes it hard. that's why it's time to get fios. it has the fastest internet and wifi available. with speeds from 50 to 500 megs. and right now, you'll get 50 meg fios internet, tv and phone for 79.99 a month online for your first year. and with a 2 year agreement, movie channels for a year. plus, 400 dollars back. so go online or call now. get out of the past. get fios. anncr: when the attacks come here... ...the person behind this desk will have to protect your family.

reckless, like donald trump? will he have voted to dramatically weaken counter-terrorism surveillance, like ted cruz? will he have skipped crucial national security hearings and votes just to campaign, like marco rubio? 27 generals and admirals support jeb bush. because jeb has the experience and knowledge to protect your family. right to rise usa for the content of this message. there are over 15,000 ways to take your coffee at dunkin'. every cup as unique as you. always fresh with that signature smooth taste. we take pride in every cup, but only one is your coffee, your dunkin'.