Photo: Firefighters inspecting the house at 606-608 Trapelo Rd. where a man died in a fire.

An early morning three-alarm fire that gutted a two-story house on Trapelo Road killed a person, according to the Belmont Fire Department.

The 4 a.m. blaze at 606-608 Trapelo Rd. located at the corner of Agassiz Street just outside of Waverley Square took the life of a man who possibly lives there, according to Belmont Fire Chief David Frizzell.  

“Tragically, fire deaths do occur due to preventable causes. Fire alarms do help, but they need to in the correct location and operating,” said Frizzell at the scene. 

Fire units from Cambridge, Arlington, Waltham, Lexington, and Watertown assisted Belmont in fighting the blaze.

Frizzell said when fire units arrived at the scene, the attic and second floors were fully involved with flames coming out of the windows. 

Initially, the building’s occupants reported that everyone had escaped the fire, but it was soon determined a person who reportedly resided on the top floor did not make it out.

After the flames had been knocked down, firefighters found the man’s body in the third floor/attic space.

Belmont Fire and Police are in the process of determining the man’s relationship to the building, said Frizzell. 

Frizzell said it appeared the building had fire alarms, but it will have to determined later if they were functioning at the time of the fire. His department will also be investigating the cause of the fire as well as the relationship of the third-floor living space was to the second floor. 

The 2,500 sq.-ft. structure built in 1913 included a fully finished attic, according to the Belmont Assessing Department. 

Frizzell said the third floor was heavily damaged and there was significant water damage to the second and first floors. 

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