A man injured in a house fire in Peabody, Massachusetts earlier this month has died.
Five people were inside the two-family home when the fire broke out at 60 Ellsworth Road on Feb. 9. The man, who lived on the first floor with his wife, was rushed via MedFlight to a Boston hospital with burn injuries. His wife was taken to a local hospital and is recovering, according to the State Fire Marshal's office.
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Neither victim has been publicly identified pending full family notifications.
Three people who live on the second floor were able to get out safely.
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The fire is under investigation by the State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit and the Peabody Fire Department. Preliminary investigation suggests that the fire started in a first floor bedroom and there was no evidence it was deliberately set. The exact cause still has not been determined.
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“About half of all fatal fires take place between 10:00 pm and 7:00 am,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey said in a media release. “The most common causes are smoking materials and electrical events. There’s no safe way to smoke, but if you must smoke then please don’t do it in bed or when you’re drowsy. Use a sturdy ashtray with water or sand and be sure to put it out, all the way, every time.”
Crews from the Peabody Fire Department worked with firefighters from surrounding cities including Salem and Lynn helping to put out the fire.
Video footage taken by a neighbor showed firefighters initially trying to enter the building after they arrived on scene to rescue the people inside.
The home is located on Ellsworth Road near the corner of Thorndike Road, right near the Center Elementary School.
