Easton, Stoughton, Brockton, Sharon, West Bridgewater, Mansfield, Raynham respond to house fire that killed two pets, required rescue of disabled resident

EASTON — Chief Justin Alexander reports that the Easton Fire Department extinguished a house fire on Columbus Avenue early Tuesday morning.

At just after 3:30 a.m., Easton Fire responded to 13 Columbus Avenue for a report of a house fire.

Upon arrival, crews were met with heavy fire in a basement apartment that was spreading quickly to the first and second floors of the three-family house, which has three apartment units.

Simultaneously, firefighters had to rescue a disabled, wheelchair-bound resident who was living on the first floor and could not escape. All other residents of the house had evacuated before the firefighters’ arrival.

Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control in about an hour.

One cat and one dog died as a result of the fire, and another dog is being treated at a local animal hospital.

Twelve residents were displaced due to the fire and will stay with family members.

Crews remained on the scene until about 7:30 a.m.

Preliminarily, the fire appears to be accidental and likely electrical in nature.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Easton Fire Department and the Massachusetts State Police Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit attached to the State Fire Marshal’s Office.

“I would like to commend Capt. Larry Blye and Firefighter Evan Hagerty for their heroic efforts to save the resident and stop the fire,” Chief Alexander said. “Due to our ambulance, with two firefighters, being at the hospital at the same time as the fire, our first arriving crew had multiple critical tasks that they had to do with just two firefighters initially. It was an outstanding effort by Easton Fire and our mutual aid partners.”

The Stoughton, Brockton, Sharon, West Bridgewater and Raynham Fire Departments, the Easton Community Emergency Response Team, the Mansfield Emergency Management Agency, Easton Animal Control and Easton Police provided mutual aid at the scene. The Mansfield and Norton Fire Departments provided station coverage during the incident.