Fire officials on Wednesday announced what they believed caused a fire in Orleans, Massachusetts, over the weekend that left a 6-year-old boy dead.
The fire has been deemed unintentional, and is believed to have been sparked by the failure of an electric fan, according to a news release from the state Department of Fire Services.
The Orleans Fire Department responded to a call for smoke and fire in a Route 6A residence around 8:40 p.m. Saturday and found flames coming from the second floor of the 2.5-story structure, the state fire marshal's office said.
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Firefighters were told that one person was unaccounted for in the building, prompting an immediate search of the home. Crews found one person with serious injuries, and he was rushed to an area hospital where he later died, fire officials said.
The state fire marshal's identified the victim on Sunday as a 6-year-old boy.
The Monomoy Regional School District posted on Facebook Monday that they are now collecting donations for the family of the boy, whom they identified as an Harwich Elementary School student named Kyi.
In a statement, the Orleans Fire Department said they're sending their heartfelt condolences to the boy's family and friends.
“Our hearts go out to the loved ones of this young man," Fire Chief Geof Deering said. "I am incredibly proud of the effort put forth by our members, as well as our mutual aid partners and other agencies, who worked with purpose and poise under challenging conditions.”
Four other residents of the home were taken to local hospitals for medical care following the fire.
