Press Release  Fatal Fire in Peabody Under Investigation

PEABODY — An early morning fire in Peabody claimed one person’s life and injured another, said Peabody Fire Chief Jay Dowling, Peabody Police Chief Thomas M. Griffin, State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine, and Essex County District Attorney Paul F. Tucker.

An adult male, age 72, was pronounced deceased at the site of a fire that occurred at 252 Newbury St. in Peabody, District Attorney Tucker’s office said. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of the man’s death. Pending family notifications, his identity is not being released at this time. A second individual was transported to the hospital for evaluation for smoke inhalation.

The Peabody Fire Department and Peabody Police Department responded to 911 calls about the fire at approximately 5:30 a.m. Saturday morning and upon arrival observed a trailer home fully involved with flames extending to a second trailer home unit.  Firefighters began an aggressive attack on the fire and knocked down the bulk of the fire in about 25 minutes. The first responding crews did not hear smoke alarms sounding.

The origin and cause of the fire are being investigated by the Peabody Fire Department, Peabody Police, Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the Office of the Essex County District Attorney, and State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office. They are assisted by the Department of Fire Services' Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit.

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