Man dies in fire at multi-family home in Holbrook
HOLBROOK - Two people were rushed to the hospital after a fire at a multi-family home in Holbrook early Friday and one later died.
Flames broke out in the three-story house on Belcher Street around 1 a.m. and quicky reached the roof. Wind fueled the fire and engulfed the home in heavy smoke.
The man who died has been identified as 91-year-old Dante Monaco.
There's no word yet on the extent of the second person's injuries or how many people were living in the house.
"On behalf of the Holbrook Fire Department, I want to offer our deepest condolences to the victim's family and loved ones," Holbrook Fire Chief Luke McFadden said in a statement. "This is a tragedy for them and the community, and our hearts are with them right now."
State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said smoke alarms in the house were working and alerted people on the upper floors, allowing them to escape.
Jerry Recupero knows the homeowner, saying he has always taken meticulous care of the building, the land and the livestock.
"Smart, does his own repairs," Recupero told WBZ. "He takes care of all this land, almost 11 acres here."
When Recupero heard the news, he came to see the damage for himself.
"Pretty damaged. The middle of it's gone you know. How do you rebuild this? You can't. You've got to tear it down," he said.
There's no word yet on how the fire started. Ostroskey said preliminary evidence suggests it began in the basement or on the first floor.
