BELCHERTOWN — A man killed in a fire at a Daniel Square home Monday afternoon has tentatively been identified as Wesley Korenewsky, according to the Northwestern district attorney’s office.

Korenewsky, 68, lived at the the ranch-style home at 42 Daniel Square, said Laurie Loisel, a spokeswoman for the DA’s office.

The office of the chief medical examiner will determine his identity, as well as the exact cause and manner of the man’s death, Loisel said. He was the only person home at the time of the fire, the cause of which had not been determined as of Wednesday.

The Belchertown Fire Department was notified at around 12:20 p.m. of a fire at the home, with heavy smoke venting through all windows and heavy fire showing in the rear of the home when they got to the scene.

Firefighters battled the blaze for about two hours before bringing it under control. 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.

“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 cause of the fire is under investigation by the Belchertown Fire Department, Belchertown polie, Hadley police, 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.

]]>