Boston

1 Dead, 1 Rescued in Overnight Roxbury Fire

A man is dead in an early morning house fire in Boston's Roxbury neighborhood.  

Firefighters responded to the home on Rockland Street around 4a.m. on Saturday. Neighbors told NBC 10 Boston they could smell smoke in the neighborhood as early as 12a.m. 

"I came outside and I looked around and I'd seen the smoke coming out of that air conditioner on the third floor of the next apartment," said next door neighbor Linda Lewis. 

A 51-year-old man was trapped inside the home. The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead. Authorities have not released the name of the victim.

Authorities say the excessive outdoor heat and hoarding conditions inside the home made the rescue attempt difficult. Firefighters had to rotate to avoid heat exhaustion. 

One neighbor told NBC 10 Boston the man's elderly mother was rescued from the home.  

Fire officials estimate $350,000 in damages and say the home is a total loss. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

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