Resident, 60 snakes die in morning house fire
By David Bienick, John Atwater
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METHUEN, Massachusetts (WCVB) — A man and more than 60 pet snakes died early Tuesday in a two-alarm house fire in Methuen, Massachusetts, according to Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Slattery.
The victim was identified by his wife as 40-year-old Andrew Carlson.
Firefighters responded at 2:20 a.m. to the home at 38 Atkinson St. Crews were met with heavy smoke and flames coming from the single-family home.
“Two of the three other people who lived there also stated there was somebody inside. We tried to get there, to the front door, around to the back, the side of the building, but we were unable to gain entry,” Slattery said.
They immediately attempted to make entry but encountered heavy fire and were blocked by heavy clutter, officials said. They moved to defensive operations to protect nearby homes.
Firefighters battled the blaze for more than four hours. Three occupants were able to escape, but Carlson was found dead in the home.
“He was ultimately found downstairs, in the basement,” Slattery said.
“He always cared more about other people’s well-being,” Carlson’s wife, Idalia Nelson, said. “He was incredibly generous with his intellect and his heart.”
Nelson and her two adult children made it out of the home, but Carlson could not be saved.
Slattery said the residents had a collection of at least 60 pythons and boa constrictors. Most of them were kept downstairs in cages.
“Unfortunately, they all passed. There was none, none found alive,” he said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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