Fire broke out in the rear of this home on Sunday. PHOTO/JERRY SPAR

A swiftly moving fire severely damaged a Hayward Street home Sunday night, displacing a couple and their dog.

“There was heavy fire damage to the first floor, most notably in the kitchen, dining area and rear porch,” stated Hopkinton Fire Chief Gary Daugherty in an email to the Independent Wednesday. “The rest of the home sustained significant heat and smoke damage.

“It is currently unclear if the home is a total loss; the insurance company will make that determination,” he added. “However, the home is currently uninhabitable due to the extent of damage.”

Daugherty simultaneously issued a press release Wednesday describing the blaze and the efforts to contain it by multiple fire departments.

According to the statement, the 911 call about a house fire at 50 Hayward Street was received at approximately 10:54 p.m. The Hopkinton Police Department arrived first on the scene and reported seeing heavy smoke as HFD and its automatic mutual aid partners were en route.

At that point, the incident was upgraded to a “working fire.” This term is used by fire departments to describe an active, confirmed fire that requires immediate, significant suppression efforts. A working fire often requires additional resource requests due to visible flames and heavy smoke.

“Fire crews arrived at 10:59 p.m. and encountered heavy fire conditions in the rear of the residence,” according to the statement. “Firefighters quickly initiated an aggressive interior attack and brought the fire under control within approximately 30 minutes.”

While no injuries were reported among the occupants, one firefighter sustained a knee injury and was treated on scene.

Daugherty noted that the HFD received assistance from Ashland, Milford, Southborough, Upton, and Westborough fire crews. The Bellingham Fire Department provided ambulance coverage, while the Hopedale Fire Department provided station coverage

The fire remains under investigation by a Massachusetts State Police trooper assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal.

The American Red Cross is assisting the displaced occupants, according to the statement.

Online fundraiser benefits displaced couple

Locally, Parker Happ, a neighbor and Planning Board member, set up a GoFundMe fundraiser page Tuesday for the couple, Gabriel and Katrina Knupe, and their dog named Thor.

“The funds raised will help Gabriel and Karina secure temporary housing, replace essential items like clothing, toiletries, and food, and provide comfort items for themselves and Thor, who also lost his bed, toys, and other essentials,” according to the fundraising page.

As of 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, the GoFundMe page raised $3,820 of its $6,000 goal through 47 donations.

“It’s absolutely incredible – we are more than halfway there!” stated Happ in an email Wednesday afternoon.

He noted that the Lake Maspenock Preservation Association and members of the John Warren Masonic Lodge plan to make contributions.

The couple is staying with family, Happ added.

Home in news last fall for ‘dangerous dog’ hearing

Gabriel Knupe appeared before the Select Board last fall. The board deemed that Thor, a pit bull, was a dangerous dog after hearing testimony that the dog jumped a fence. The dog killed a chicken, injured two others and subsequently attacked a cat, according to a neighbor.

At a follow-up Select Board meeting in October, Gabriel Knupe was commended for his improvements to the home to help contain Thor. They included the installation of new windows and fixing the back porch so that the dog could not escape. Thor also was walked on a leash three times a day.