Man, 88, Killed in New Bedford (MA) House Fire

Irene Rotondo – masslive.com

State officials have identified the New Bedford man who was killed in a house fire on Monday.

Alfred Martin, 88, of New Bedford, was named as the victim, according to the New Bedford Fire and Police departments, the State Fire Marshal and Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.

Four other people were hurt in the fire that broke out at 24 Cotter St. just after 1 p.m. on Jan. 20, including a man who tried to save Martin from the two-family home.

Firefighters saw heavy flames overtaking the house when they arrived and used a ladder to rescue one person from the second floor.

Three others were able to escape on their own, and all four people were brought to the hospital with injuries. A pair of cats were also rescued from the residence and treated for smoke inhalation by New Bedford Animal Control.

Martin was pronounced dead at the scene, the office said. The cause and manner of his death is pending following an investigation from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

“On behalf of the New Bedford Fire Department, I want to express our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Martin’s family,” said New Bedford Fire Chief Scott Kruger.

“Our thoughts are with them, and also with the residents who lost their home. This is a terrible loss for them and the community,” Kruger said.

The cause of the fire, which caused “catastrophic damage” to the home, is not believed to be suspicious, though the exact cause has yet to be determined, the officials said.

A preliminary investigation showed the fire started by a couch in the first-floor living room near the front left of the home, and smoking materials and an electrical outlet were also in that area.

Martin’s death was the first fire death in the state of 2025. Smoking was the leading cause of residential fire fatalities in Massachusetts in 2024.

Assistance at the scene was given by New Bedford EMS, the New Bedford Emergency Management Agency, the New Bedford Department of Public Works and Providence Canteen.

©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. Visit masslive.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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