A four-alarm fire swept through a home in Oakham early Wednesday morning, leaving a man dead and his single family home in ruins, officials said.
Firefighters battled dangerous icy conditions at the scene, dealing with temperatures that froze hose lines, according to a statement by the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services.
The Oakham Fire Department responded to a 911 call at 67 Skyline Drive from a neighbor around 12:45 a.m., the statement said.
“The first arriving crews were faced with extremely heavy fire conditions,” said Oakham Fire Chief Timothy Howe in a phone interview. “They had their work cut out from the beginning.”
Arriving firefighters learned that a Rutland Police officer had already attempted to gain entry but was forced back by the heavy smoke and flames inside the home, officials said.
The man who died was found inside the burned out home, according to the statement.
“Our hearts go out to the family that lost a loved one this morning,” said Howe. “This is a sad day for them and the community.”
Oakham is a small town in Massachusetts, located about 17 miles west of Worcester.
With six inches of snow on the ground and temperatures hovering around 4°F, firefighters battled the flames for about an hour before bringing them under control, according to the statement. They continued to extinguish hot spots until 9 a.m.
“It is challenging, after the first few minutes, the whole fire scene becomes a sheet of ice,” Howe said. “Everybody is soaked to the bone after long incidents like that.”
Multiple fire alarms were struck to bring additional resources, including numerous tankers carrying water drafted from frozen ponds and streams, officials said.
As soon as crews stopped fighting the fire, all of the hose froze in place, according to Howe. The Oakham Highway Department had to be called to transport them back to the station, he said.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, authorities said.
Hannah Goeke can be reached at hannah.goeke@globe.com.