MONTGOMERY, Mass. (AP) — The chief of a small town Massachusetts fire department has died while battling a house fire.
The state Fire Marshal’s office says Montgomery Chief Stephen Frye collapsed at the scene of the fire reported at about 11 p.m. Tuesday and was pronounced dead at the hospital.
Montgomery is a town of fewer than 1,000 residents west of Springfield.
The cause of death remains under investigation.
Authorities say Frye had 17 years of service with the department.
The fire started in the chimney from a wood stove and spread to the main structure. The residents, described as a woman and her adult son, were alerted by smoke alarms and escaped unharmed. The home is considered a total loss.
The cause is under investigation but preliminary findings indicate that it was accidental.
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