DA identifies man who died after becoming trapped inside burning Carver home

A man is dead after a fire tore through a home in Carver late Wednesday night, officials said.

The Carver Fire Department said they got a call for reports of a fire with a person trapped inside a home on Tremont Street around 11 p.m.

The department said they were on scene within three minutes of that call and upon entering the house they said they quickly found a man on the first floor.

“Firefighters located the deceased approximately about 20 feet into the building. They removed that person and it was determined that they were deceased at that time,” Carver Fire Chief Craig Weston said.

The Plymouth District Attorney’s Office identified the victim as 69-year-old James Collins.

Collins’ best friend, Randy St. Germain, said he had known the victim since he was just 8 years of age and that they loved riding motorcycles together. St. Germain also said he spoke to Collins the night before his death.

“Live each day like it’s your last,” St. Germain said. “I’m glad I made the phone call last night. I wish I would have come and seen him.”

A second person, who St. Germain identified as Collins’ nephew, was able to escape the flames and was transported to the hospital with burn injuries. He is expected to be OK.

Chief Weston described the home as a total loss.

“It seems to be an older type of residence. Again we had a quick response, a large number of firefighters, just a little sad for everyone,” Weston said.

No firefighters were injured and the cause of the fire is under investigation.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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