Fire Kills Woman with Mobility Issues in Westfield Apartment

A deadly fire broke out at a four-story apartment building on Franklin Street in Westfield, Massachusetts, late Thursday night, resulting in the death of a woman with limited mobility who was trapped in her first-floor apartment. Firefighters responded to multiple 911 calls and arrived to find intense flames and smoke, prompting a second-alarm and mutual aid from the 104th Fighter Wing Fire Department at Barnes Air National Guard Base. Despite aggressive efforts to rescue the occupant, she was found deceased; her identity has not yet been released pending formal identification by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The fire extended to the second floor, causing smoke damage to upper floors and displacing all residents of the nine-unit building. The origin and cause of the blaze remain under investigation by local and state fire and police authorities, as well as the Hampden District Attorney’s office. Westfield Fire Chief Patrick Egloff expressed condolences to the victim’s family and loved ones.