BELCHERTOWN — A house fire on Daniel Square claimed the life of one resident early Monday afternoon as firefighters battled the blaze for about two hours before bringing it under control, according to the state fire marshal’s office.

The Belchertown Fire Department was notified at around 12:20 p.m. of a fire in the area of 42 Daniel Square, where firefighters found a single-story home in flames, with heavy smoke venting through all windows and heavy fire showing in the rear of the home.

Firefighters “immediately mounted an aggressive exterior attack, then moved inside until conditions forced them from the building,” according to local and state fire officials. The fire went to two alarms and firefighters from Amherst, Bondsville, Granby, Ludlow, Palmer, Pelham, Three Rivers and Westover responded to provide mutual aid.

An adult male, the only person home at the time, was found dead inside.

“On behalf of the Belchertown Fire Department, I want to express our sincere condolences to the man’s family,” said Belchertown Fire Chief John Ingram in a statement Monday night. “This is a sad day for them and our community.”

The office of the chief medical examiner will determine the exact cause and manner of the man’s death.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Belchertown Fire Department, Belchertown Police Department, Hadley Police Department, State Police assigned to the state fire marshal’s office, and State Police assigned to the Northwestern district attorney’s office. They were supported at the scene by the Belchertown Department of Public Works and the Department of Fire Services’ Special Operations team.

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