MIDDLEBORO — A man suffered second-degree burns and was transported to Rhode Island Hospital after a fire Tuesday, March 11 that consumed a house and barn at 61 Vernon St. and scorched grassy areas nearby. 

Middleboro Fire responded to the blaze at about 3 p.m. and found fire showing through the roof of a barn behind the house, Middleboro Fire Chief Owen Thompson reported. Heavy smoke could also be seen on the exterior of the house before spreading to the eaves of the attic, Thompson said. 

Simultaneously, the chief reported, brush had caught fire in the yard. The fire also spread to an area of grass on the property, scorching the area and extending to a grassy area on the other side of the road.

The four occupants of the home were outside of the house before firefighters arrived.

A man who was one of the occupants suffered second-degree burns to his lower extremities as a result of the fire and was transported by Coastal EMS to Rhode Island Hospital. His injuries are not believed to be life-threatening.

 No firefighters were injured as a result of the blaze. About 35 firefighters from departments throughout the region responded, with a rotating line of tankers filling a portable tank to provide water for the firefighting effort. 

The closest fire hydrants are located about a mile away from the house.

Preliminary investigation indicates the fire started outside of the barn and spread to the adjacent structures. The cause remains under investigation by the Middleboro Fire Department and State Police assigned to the State Fire Marshal's Office.

Numerous agencies from throughout the region provided mutual aid and assistance, including the Lakeville, Taunton, Carver, Plymouth, Berkley, Halifax, Plympton, Wareham, Rochester, Raynham, and Freetown fire departments, Middleborough Police Department, Coastal EMS, and the Massachusetts Department of Fire Services Special Operations Rehab Unit.

"We had two structure fires and a grass fire simultaneously," Thompson. "Our first step was to verify that no one else was in the building. Our firefighters did a fantastic job, especially with the amount of fire they faced when they first arrived, with limited water. They made sure to battle the fire consuming the home and took care of the burn victim at the same time.’’