PELHAM — One person died in an early-morning house fire at 109 North Valley Road, officials said Thursday.
The Pelham Fire Department responded to the two-family home after a 9-1-1 call from a passerby just after 2:30 a.m.
“The Pelham Fire Department and our community want to express our condolences to the family that lost a loved one today,” said Pelham Fire Chief Dennis Nazzaro.
Firefighters arrived to find the structure fully engulfed in flames with fire venting through the roof and windows.
Mutual aid from Amherst, Belchertown, Granby, Hadley, Shutesbury, and Ware joined in suppression efforts.
The home was occupied by one person, a man in his 30s, who was later found deceased inside the building.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will conduct a formal identification and determine the cause and manner of death.
The fire caused catastrophic damage to the building, including partial collapses of the roof and walls.
Firefighters extinguished the bulk of the fire in about an hour.
First responders reported they did not hear smoke alarms sounding when they arrived at the scene.
The origin and cause of the fire are being investigated by the Pelham Fire Department, Pelham Police Department, State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s office, and State Police assigned to the Northwestern District Attorney’s office.
