An early-morning house fire in Lynn, Massachusetts, has claimed the life of a young child, the state fire marshal's office confirmed Tuesday afternoon.
The child's name and age are not being released pending notification of family and a formal identification by the chief medical examiner's office.
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“Our hearts go out to this child’s loved ones,” Lynn Fire Chief Stephen Archer said in a statement. “On behalf of the Lynn Fire Department and the City of Lynn, I want to express our deepest condolences to the family. This is a terrible loss for them and the community.”
Officials said the child had remained unaccounted for until late Tuesday morning when they were located inside the home and pronounced dead at the scene.
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The fire broke out on Circuit Avenue around 4 a.m. Video of the fire showed flames engulfing multiple sections of the home. Firefighters from Lynn and Chelsea were seen battling the flames.
Archer described the scene as having "a very heavy body of fire" when his crew arrived. Firefighters battled the blaze for about 45 minutes before bringing it under control.
Seven people were taken to the hospital as a precaution, according to Archer. Other than the child who died, the remainder of the residents were able to safely self-evacuate, the chief said.
None of the people taken to the hospital are believed to have serious injuries.
"Crews had a really, really difficult time with a tremendous body of fire," Archer told reporters Tuesday morning around 9 a.m. "There are still some hot spots in there right now."
No firefighters were hurt during the fire.
“This is a heartbreaking tragedy for the family affected and for our community,” Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson said. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family as they deal with this unthinkable loss, and we wish all those affected a speedy and full recovery. On behalf of the City, we appreciate the tremendous work by the Lynn Fire Department and all the supporting agencies who responded. While we know there will be a full investigation into the circumstances of this tragic event, at this point we are focused on the victims and are incredibly grateful for all those rallying to help them and provide support for our community at this most difficult time.”
The Red Cross, Salvation Army and the city are stepping in to help people who were impacted by the fire. About a dozen residents were displaced by the fire.
The scene remained active later Tuesday morning. The fire was contained to the building of origin, although there was some minor damage to adjacent property.
The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation by several agencies, including state police, the fire marshal's office, Lynn police, Lynn fire and members of the Essex District Attorney's Office.
