ROCKLAND, Mass. — One person was killed Monday morning when fire swept through a single-family home in Rockland, bringing firefighters from several communities to the scene.
Crews arriving at the Centre Avenue house found heavy fire at the back of the two-and-a-half-story home, and thick smoke was pouring from the roof. Early reports that more than one person could be trapped inside led the Rockland Fire Department to strike a third alarm, pulling in help from neighboring departments.
In the end, officials confirmed a single death. The victim was the only person in the house, and the rest of the family was away when the fire started. The name of the person who died has not been released by officials.
Rockland Fire Chief Scott Duffey described the loss as devastating for the family. No firefighters were hurt.
The cause is now in the hands of the state fire marshal’s office, and no cause had been announced as of Monday.
Deadly fires in Massachusetts most often happen at home. State Fire Marshal Jon M. Davine has said fire deaths across the state fell in 2025 after reaching a seven-year high the year before, and that more than 90 percent of those deaths happened in the victims’ own homes.
Earlier state figures found about three of every four fatal fires in Massachusetts broke out in residential buildings, and single-family homes were the most likely to turn deadly. The Rockland fire is the latest in a string of deadly house fires in the state this year, including earlier blazes in Brockton and Falmouth.
Section: More Boston MA crime news
Filed under: Boston MA Public Safety News
