MASSENA, New York (WWNY) – Massena’s police chief has confirmed that three people died in a fire in Massena Monday morning.
Chief Jason Olson told 7 News around noon Monday that three people were dead following the fire on 419 South Main Street in the village.
The names of the victims have not been released.
Massena Fire Chief Patrick O’Brien said five people were rescued from the home and taken to the community center. Earlier it was believed some were taken to the hospital, but that appears not to be the case.
“We found heavy smoke and flames coming from the back corner of the building. We laddered multiple second-story windows where the majority of the fire and the extension had occurred and our ability to enter the structure and perform search and rescue was hampered by approximately five to six explosions, at least one of which we’ve attributed since to an exploding oxygen cylinder,” he said.
The fire was reported shortly before 2 a.m.
“It was so loud you could hear it all the way across town, it was bad. I mean it was horrible,” said David Dodge, who was awakened by the explosions. “I’ve seen fires in Massena before but nothing like this. I’ve been here for 13 years and I’ve not seen this much of a tragedy in my life like this. It’s bad. It’s horrible.”
The cause of the blaze is under investigation.
Also on the scene were Massena village police, the St. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office, and state fire investigators.
The American Red Cross says it gave 5 adults financial assistance which can be used for necessities such as shelter, food, and clothing. The group expects to assist as many as 14 people after the fire.
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