EAST BRIDGEWATER, MASS. (WHDH) - A man was killed Monday when a riding lawnmower caught fire, ignited his clothing and spread to his single-family home.
Crews responded around 9 a.m. to a two-alarm fire at 4 Beaver Village Way and found an 86-year-old dead on the property, authorities said.
Police said they received several 911 calls alerting them to the fire. The home was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.
State Fire Marshal Peter Ostroskey said a lawnmower fire sparked the massive blaze. He said the fire, which broke out below the home’s deck, set the man and home ablaze.
Video shot by Fire Chief George Rogers showed flames shooting from the roof of the home. As crews worked to extinguish the blaze, the roof collapsed as a result of the raging flames. Video from Sky7 showed several solar panels that had caved in.
“He was full of life. He loved his family, being at home and working outside,” the family’s pastor, Paul King said. “It’s an unspeakable loss.”
King said the man lived at the home with his wife and daughter.
The house was deemed a total loss. Crews boarded up the windows before leaving the scene.
It’s not clear what caused the lawnmower to go up in flames. The incident is under investigation.
The victim’s name was not immediately released.
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