Investigators look for cause of Worcester fire

WORCESTER, Mass. -- Investigators are searching for clues that could lead to the cause of the fire in Worcester that took a firefighter’s life on Thursday.

The State Fire Marshal’s office and federal agents are assisted in the investigation on Friday as heavy machines and crews went through the rubble layer by layer to preserve evidence and look for signs of human remains.

The fire marshal said there is still no word on a male who may have been in the home at the time of the fire.

“We have information as to who the potential tenant is, not necessarily his location, if he has escaped the building at the time of the fire, but we do have a pretty good idea of who the individual is that we’re looking for,” said an official.

The early morning blaze on Thursday killed Jon Davies, a 17-year veteran of the Worcester Fire Department.

Local and state investigators have not ruled out arson as the cause of the fire.

“All potential causes remain on the table. We have not eliminated any, whether they be accidental or whether they be deliberate,” said an official.

Davies and his partner, Brian Carroll, went into the building to look for a person who was allegedly inside. A wall collapsed and trapped Davies and Carroll inside. Fellow firefighters rescued them, but Davies passed away. Carroll was released from the hospital on Friday evening.

"It takes a special person to be a firefighter. They have to be fearless," said a friend of Carroll's. "He's so strong. Stronger than the average person."

“They were very tight buddies. They were both SCUBA divers. They were both fisherman,” said an official.

A celebration of life funeral Mass for firefighter Jon Davies is set for Dec. 15 at 10:00 a. m. at Our Lady of Mt Carmel Church.

The Worcester Fire Department is asking anyone with information on how the fire started to contact them.

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