The scene at 69 Hayward Street shows the destruction caused by the fire. PHOTO/JOHN CARDILLO

The Hopkinton Fire Department announced that a man died in a house fire on Hayward Street early Sunday morning.

“At 1:12 a.m. on Sunday, April 9, Hopkinton dispatchers received multiple 911 calls about a fire at 69 Hayward Street, at a one-level ranch house,” according to an HFD press release. “First-arriving crews observed heavy fire showing from the house and immediately requested mutual aid. Crews learned of two people still in the house. An aggressive internal search began immediately.

“One victim, a senior male, was found in a hallway. Another victim, a senior female, was discovered in a bedroom. Both were removed from the home and taken to Milford Regional Medical Center. The man was pronounced dead at Milford Regional Medical Center. The woman was transported to a Boston hospital for treatment of her injuries. A dog also died in the fire.”

The two-alarm fire was brought under control around 2 a.m., with the house a total loss. The HFD noted that no operating smoke detectors were found in the home.

During an interview with NECN, Fire Chief Bill Miller explained the challenges for the firefighters trying to locate the victims.

“In this type of conditions, firefighters are working in zero visibility,” he said. “They’re on their self-contained breathing apparatus, they’re going in and their eyes are technically their hands. So they’re feeling, trying to locate people at that point in zero visibility. That’s what we talk about when we say trapped.”

Miller added that it a tragedy such as this affects the entire town.

“It’s tough. They’re part of our community,” he said. “Hopkinton is a very tight community. It’s a great community. Unfortunately, when something happens like this, it’s devastating. … It’s hard on everybody.”

The cause of the fire is under investigation.