A Webster community is grappling with the aftermath of a deadly fire that broke out in a multi-family home on Saturday night, resulting in one fatality and leaving five others without a place to call home.
The fire at 1 South Point Road, reported around 10 p.m., led to the deployment of multiple fire crews who worked to battle the blaze and perform a rescue operation for a man trapped inside, Deputy Fire Chief Jeffrey Saad detailed the sequence of events noting that the trapped resident was eventually located and extricated but sadly, the man succumbed to his injuries after being transported to a local hospital, this according to information obtained by The Telegram and Boston 25 News.
Residents of the building recounted the harrowing ordeal, with Nancy, one occupant, describing the smoke as “black, black, black” and the situation as "overwhelming," she felt numb and instinctively knew it was time to escape as she dialed 911 Nancy's partner, Fran Knapik attempted a valiant rescue of the ailing, bedridden man living above them but was forced back by intense smoke, "I opened [the door] up about an inch, and the billows of smoke came out and kind of overtook me," Knapik recollected in an interview with Boston 25 News.
While the name of the deceased has not yet been made public, the loss is felt throughout the close-knit community at the edge of Webster Lake, the fire's thick aftermath was contained, and no other injuries were reported among the five other residents who were at home during the incident firefighters extinguished the fire shortly after their arrival according to Deputy Chief Jeffrey Saad, as stated in reports by both The Telegram and Boston 25 News.
Investigations into the cause of the fire are ongoing, with the Webster Fire Department, Webster Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police Fire & Explosive Investigation Unit working in conjunction to determine the circumstances leading up to the tragic event.
