PAXTON, Mass.- A house fire on Holden Road in Paxton heavily damaged a residence and two-car garage Friday night, with lightning suspected as the cause.
The fire was reported at approximately 10:20 p.m. on August 7, 2026, at 105 Holden Road after neighbors and passing motorists made multiple 911 calls. All occupants had evacuated the home before firefighters arrived.
The Paxton Fire Department responded and found the garage beneath the residence and the rooms above it fully engulfed in flames. As the fire extended into the attic, firefighters requested a second alarm and additional crews from surrounding communities responded.
Firefighters conducted both interior and roof operations as the fire spread through the structure. The fire was brought under control in approximately one hour, but crews remained at the scene into the early morning hours Saturday to extinguish remaining hot spots and conduct overhaul operations.
Several firefighters were evaluated and treated at the scene for heat exhaustion and injuries related to overexertion. No firefighters required transportation to a hospital.
Additional fire and emergency crews provided mutual aid and maintained emergency coverage for Paxton while local firefighters worked at the scene.
The family’s cat was unable to be rescued and died in the fire.
A severe thunderstorm warning had been issued earlier Friday for southeastern Worcester County, west-central Norfolk County and other parts of New England. The warning was in effect until 9:45 p.m., about 35 minutes before the fire was reported.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Fire officials said it was most likely caused by a nearby lightning strike that followed an electrical line into the garage.
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