TOWNSEND — On Sunday, March 1, 2026, at about 6:15 a.m., Townsend Fire-EMS responded to the residence located at 5 Burgess Road after a neighbor reported seeing flames.
According to Townsend Fire-EMS Chief of Department Gary Shepherd, while en route, firefighters observed heavy smoke and flames coming through the roof and struck a second alarm to bring additional resources to the scene.
Firefighters located the home’s sole occupant, a 61-year-old man, inside the residence and removed him from the house.
He was taken to Leominster Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead. His dog, which was located during a primary search of the residence, also died in the fire.
Chief Shepherd said the home suffered catastrophic structural damage, including the total collapse of the right side of the building. He said firefighters knocked the bulk of the fire down within about an hour and remained on scene into the afternoon for overhaul operations and the investigation.
“On behalf of Townsend Fire-EMS, I want to express our heartfelt condolences to the family who lost a loved one,” Chief Shepherd said. “This is a terrible loss for them and a sad day in our community.”
Shepherd also said he wanted to recognize the firefighters who rescued the resident and then battled the fire, along with mutual aid partners who helped prevent the fire from spreading to other properties.
Investigators have determined the fire originated in the central area of the home, although the cause remains under investigation. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of death of the resident, Chief Shepherd said.
“It’s too early to say exactly how this fire started, but we know that heating fires tend to increase in the winter months,” State Fire Marshal Jon Davine said in a statement issued March 2, 2026 by Chief Shepherd. “No matter how you heat your home, always keep anything that can burn at least three feet away from heating appliances on all sides.”
The fire remains under investigation by Townsend Fire-EMS, Townsend Police, State Police fire investigators assigned to the State Fire Marshal’s Office and the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office, the District 8 Fire Investigation Unit, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, with assistance from the Department of Fire Services Code Compliance and Enforcement Unit.
