Death Investigation Underway at Scene of House Fire in New Bedford

April 15, 2014

New Bedford Police and Fire officials, State Police detectives assigned to this office, and prosecutors are currently investigatinga fire-related death which occurred this morning in the city of New Bedford.

New Bedford Police received a 911 call this morning around 8:30 to report a fire at a home at 55 Rounds Street. Police, fire and rescue personnel rushed to the scene of the blaze. Fire officials were able to contain the fire to the second floor of the home. After extinguishing the fire, officials discovered a deceased male victim inside a second floor bedroom of the home.

The State Medical Examiner’s Office is currently en route to the scene to take custody of the deceased in order to confirm the victim’s identity and perform an autopsy to determine the official cause and manner of death.

As the investigation is in its early stages, no further information can be disseminated at this time. Once we have a confirmed identity of the victim and next of kin notifications are made, our office will send out a follow up release with this information.

If anyone has any information about the fire or saw anything in the area of the fire this morning, they are urged to contact New Bedford Police at 508-991-6300 or by leaving an anonymous tip by calling 508-961-4584 or by utilizing the district attorney’s anonymous text-a-tip software by logging on to tipsubmit.com.

Contacts:

Gregg Miliote

Director of Communications

508-997-0711

774-292-9576—after hours

 

Ashley Bendiksen

Media Assistant

508-997-0711

774-929-5614—after hours