1 dead, 2 hospitalized after Plymouth house fire
PLYMOUTH -- One person is dead and two are injured after a fire broke out in a Plymouth home early Friday morning, according to the State Fire Marshal's office.
Crews responding to Post N Rail Avenue around 5:25 a.m. immediately noticed smoke and flames coming from a multi-family home. Firefighters were notified that two people were missing.
One adult was fatally injured. Their identity is not being released at this time. Neighbors told WBZ-TV he was an elderly, wheelchair-bound, and blind homeowner.
The homeowner's wife was rescued and taken to the hospital with critical injuries.
"Just huge flames, at least 10 feet tall, way up almost to the branches up there, absolutely incredible. My heart goes out to the family," said neighbor Kristyn Albright.
She and her young children were initially told to evacuate their neighboring home because of the flames' intensity.
The State Fire Marshal said thanks to working fire alarms, three people were able to escape. One was hospitalized with less serious injuries.
Two Plymouth firefighters also suffered minor injuries at the scene.
"On behalf of the Plymouth Fire Department, I want to express our heartfelt condolences to the family and loved ones affected by this morning's tragedy," said Plymouth Fire Chief Neil Foley. "Our thoughts are with them right now. To the rest of our community, I want to emphasize that working smoke alarms appear to have prevented an even greater loss of life."
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but it does not appear suspicious.
Neighbors said ambulances often came to the house for medical issues. "Junk yard conditions" could make access difficult, they added.
"They had trailers out there, cars out there, dumpsters out there, " said neighbor Sean Stanish. "We had a big rodent issue here this time last year because of what was going on up there."