One man and a dog died and a woman is in critical condition after a large fire in Hopkinton, Massachusetts early Sunday morning.
Fire officials said it started around 1 a.m. with multiple neighbors calling 911 for a fire at 69 Hayward St. Authorities said two elderly people, a man and a woman, were trapped inside the house. They were removed from the home, given CPR and transported to Milford Regional Medical Center, where the man was pronounced dead. The woman was later flown to Massachusetts General Hospital, where she remains in critical condition.
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Authorities are identifying the victim until family is notified. Hopkinton Fire Chief William Miller said that when something like this happens, it impacts the entire town.
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“It’s tough. They’re part of our community. Hopkinton is a very tight community. It’s a great community. And unfortunately, when something happens like this happens, it's going to shock the community. It’s very devastating. So it’s hard on everybody," Miller said.
Firefighters found the man in the hallway of the one-level ranch house before heading back into the burning building to find his wife in the bedroom. No fire alarms were found inside the home. Multiple towns responded to help put the fire out including Westborough, Milford, Ashland, Southborough and Upton, while Medway covered the Hopkinton headquarters.
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Neighbors told NBC10 Boston that the man lived in that house for around 40 years. They described him as a father and a Marine who loved dogs, rode motorcycles, had a doctorate in sound technology and his masters in the drums. They said his wife drives a school bus in a neighboring town.
“He used to put on cookouts for fireman and police down here. He was such a nice guy I just can’t believe this happened to him," friend Tim Smith said. "You know, every day you should thank God you’re still here because it can happen. You just don’t know when it’s going to happen."
"For us in the immediate area here, most of the folks that live nearby here are very devastated," neighbor Arthur Brooks said. ”Besides being Easter morning, it's just sad. We’re all going to miss him.”
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
