Man killed in fire at Newton duplex
NEWTON – A man was killed Sunday morning during a house fire in Newton.
It happened around 8:30 a.m. on Walnut Street.
An off-duty Boston firefighter who was driving in the area called 911 to report the fire.
Firefighters were on scene within minutes and found heavy flames coming from the first floor. A man was reported missing inside the 2-family home. He was found a short time later but did not survive.
"I was leaving my house this morning and pulled out of my driveway. I saw all the people running out of the house in their pajamas, all the smoke. And, obviously, they just looked panicked and concerned and whatnot," said one neighbor. "It was just a regular Sunday morning, you end up losing someone close to you. I just think it's a horrible situation to be in."
No other injuries were reported. A cat was rescued from the home.
Newton Fire Chief Greg Gentile said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
"Our hearts go out to the family who lost a loved one today," Gentile and Newton Mayor Ruthanne Fuller said in statement. "This is the third fatal fire in our community since December. We want to urge all our residents to have working smoke alarms on every level of your home. And if you hear those alarms sound, please — get out, stay out, and close the doors on the way out."