State police bomb technicians aid investigation into Dartmouth house fire

DARTMOUTH, Mass. (WLNE) — The Dartmouth Fire District responded to a 20 Sagamore Drive structure fire early Tuesday morning, which is now under investigation by multiple agencies, including Massachusetts State Police bomb technicians.

According to Dartmouth Fire Chief Timothy J. Lancaster, arriving crews from District 1 reported heavy fire conditions and explosions from the area of the residence garage at approximately 1 a.m.

Additional personnel from Dartmouth Fire District 2 and District 3 provided mutual aid in addition to District 1’s two engines and one ladder company.

The fire was under control by 1:20 a.m. according to Chief Lancaster.

All occupants of the building escaped the fire, and one person suffered burns and was transported to Saint Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford.

These injuries are believed to be serious, but not life-threatening, according to Dartmouth Police Department Chief Brian P. Levesque.

Also according to Chief Levesque, three dogs were inside the home at the time of the incident.

One of the dogs was found to be deceased at the scene, the second was taken to a veterinarian for emergency treatment and the third was located Tuesday morning uninjured after being missing for an unknown period of time.

The fire remains under investigation by Dartmouth Fire District 1, the Fire Marshal’s office and Massachusetts State Police, according to the Dartmouth Fire District.

Also assisting in the investigation are Massachusetts State Police bomb technicians and fire investigators and members of the Department of Fire Services’ Joint Hazard Incident Response Team (JHIRT).

This is according to the Massachusetts Office of the State Fire Marshal.

According to the fire marshal, JHIRT “often provides Hazmat expertise when certain reactive or energetic substances are present.”