Overview
- Firefighters were dispatched at 2:20 a.m. to a single-family home at 38 Atkinson St. in Methuen.
- Crews encountered heavy smoke and flames and shifted to defensive operations to protect nearby homes.
- Three occupants escaped the residence, and one person was found dead inside.
- Firefighters battled the blaze for more than four hours before bringing it under control.
- The victim has not been identified publicly and the cause remains under investigation, as the fire chief offered condolences to the family.