Young girl dies after a massive fire destroys Lynn home

LYNN, Mass. — A young girl has died after a massive fire engulfed a Lynn home on Tuesday morning, according to fire officials.

The child’s name and age were not released pending full family notifications and a formal identification process by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

“The whole city of Lynn, the Lynn Fire Department, we’re devastated by this loss,” said Lynn District Fire Chief Joseph Zukas, his eyes brimming with tears, as he spoke to reporters from the scene early Tuesday afternoon. “Make sure you have working smoke detectors in your home. That’s vital for an incident like this. And practice an escape plan with your loved ones.”

Young girl dies after a massive fire destroys Lynn home “The whole city of Lynn, the Lynn Fire Department, we’re devastated by this loss,” said Lynn District Fire Chief Joseph Zukas, his eyes brimming with tears.

The girl had remained unaccounted for until late Tuesday morning. She was located inside the home and pronounced dead at the scene, Zukas said.

“Our hearts go out to this child’s loved ones,” said Lynn Fire Chief Stephen Archer in a statement. “On behalf of the Lynn Fire Department and the City of Lynn, I want to express our deepest condolences to the family. This is a terrible loss for them and the community.”

Seven people -- three adults and four boys -- were sent to the hospital following the deadly fire. Their conditions were not known Tuesday.

Seven other residents escaped the blaze and did not go to the hospital.

The Lynn Fire Department was first notified of the fire at 7 Circuit Ave. at 4:05 a.m. Tuesday and the first responding engine arrived at 4:07 a.m. Firefighters encountered heavy fire and smoke on arrival. They battled the fire for about 45 minutes before bringing it under control.

Neighbors told Boston 25 they woke up to see large, threatening flames erupting from the house.

“We could feel the heat coming towards us,” said Michael Lopez.

Lopez, a father of two young children himself, said he was deeply sorry for the family.

“I can just imagine what the father is going through right now for his loss and looking at that little girl. She was beautiful. It’s really really sad,” said Lopez. “Tt could pretty much hurt your heart for the rest of your life knowing that you won’t be able to see her grow up.”

“This morning’s fire remains under investigation, but we want to emphasize how important it is for every household to have working smoke alarms and a practiced home escape plan,” said State Fire Marshal Ostroskey. “Please take a minute today to be sure you have smoke alarms on every level of your home and test them to be sure they’re working properly.”

More than a dozen residents were displaced.

“This is a heartbreaking tragedy for the family affected and for our community,” said Lynn Mayor Jared Nicholson. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family as they deal with this unthinkable loss, and we wish all those affected a speedy and full recovery. On behalf of the City, we appreciate the tremendous work by the Lynn Fire Department and all the supporting agencies who responded. While we know there will be a full investigation into the circumstances of this tragic event, at this point we are focused on the victims and are incredibly grateful for all those rallying to help them and provide support for our community at this most difficult time.”

The origin and cause of the fire remain under investigation by the Lynn Fire Department, Lynn Police Department, and State Police assigned to the offices of the State Fire Marshal and Essex District Attorney. They are supported by the Lynn Inspectional Services Department and the Department of Fire Services’ Code Compliance & Enforcement Unit.

The Red Cross of Massachusetts, Salvation Army, and City of Lynn are assisting the displaced residents. The Salem Fire Department provided mutual aid at the scene; the fire departments of Chelsea, Marblehead, Melrose, Peabody, Revere, Salem, and Saugus provided station coverage.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts.

Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW

©2022 Cox Media Group