Mother, Son Die In Waltham House Fire
WALTHAM (CBS) – A mother and son were killed in a fire in the brutal cold in Waltham early Monday morning.
Firefighters were called to a burning home on Ash Street just after 3 a.m.
They fought through sub-zero wind chills and tight spaces to put out the two-alarm fire and keep it contained to one building.
Eric Miller, 49, and Elizabeth Miller, 75, were pronounced dead after being transported to the hospital, officials said.
"This tragic loss of life remains under investigation," said Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan in a statement. "While any number of issues could have led to this fire, incidents like this serve as a reminder to all of us to make sure smoke detectors are in working order and to do our part to shovel out fire hydrants to help First Responders get water on a scene as quickly as possible."
The fire came on the coldest morning in the region in more than ten years.
"It just makes everything 10 times harder. The snow, the ice, the location of the house was set back, wires, accessibility was not good," Waltham Fire Chief Paul Ciccone told reporters.
The chief also credited neighbors with keeping fire hydrants clear of snow.
One firefighter burned his hand in a flash of fire entering the home.
A rehab unit was brought to the scene to help keep firefighters warm.
There's no word yet on how the fire started.
Later on Monday, a four-alarm fire broke out at a Waltham house on School Street, about a mile away.
It's not yet known if the two fires are connected.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports:
