Three-alarm fire in Massachusetts 4-unit apartment building claims one life; first responders rescue two

Fire Chief Robert Valentine, Police Chief Jeffrey Gillen, State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey, and Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett said today that a three-alarm fire on Manor Drive has claimed one person’s life.

Chief Valentine said that on Friday, at 3:01 p.m., the Groveland Fire Department received a 911 call reporting fire in the building at 2 Manor Drive, a 4-unit apartment building.

The nearest Groveland engine, stationed nearby on Main Street, was on a medical call at the time, so Groveland Fire immediately requested a mutual aid response from the West Newbury and Georgetown Fire Departments.

Groveland Police responded as well and were first to arrive on scene. Police immediately reported people trapped in the rear of the building on the second floor.

Groveland Police and Firefighters worked together to rescue two people from the second floor using a ground ladder.

Rescuers located an adult male in a first-floor apartment who was pronounced dead at the scene. His name is not being released pending a formal identification by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

The point of origin and cause of the fire are being jointly investigated by the Groveland Fire Department, Groveland Police Department, the State Police Fire & Explosion Investigation Unit assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police detectives assigned to the Essex DA’s office.

The West Newbury, Newburyport, Newbury, Merrimac, Georgetown, Amesbury, Methuen, and Rowley Fire Departments provided mutual aid, and the Andover Fire Department sent its air trailer to the scene. PRIDEStar EMS and Cataldo Ambulance also responded to the scene.

The Boxford and North Andover Fire Departments covered Groveland stations. This is the first fatal fire in the Town of Groveland since 1966.