NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) — Preliminary investigations have ruled out suspicious activity in the cause of Monday’s deadly fire in New Bedford, according to officials. Firefighters responded to a two-family home on Cotter Street, which was engulfed in flames. Alfred Martin, 88, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Bristol County District Attorney’s Office. The medical examiner’s office is working to determine the cause of death. Four residents were taken to the hospital for smoke inhalation and other injuries. Officials said firefighters brought the fire under control in about an hour and a half, but not before the building sustained "catastrophic damage." BACKGROUND: 1 dead after New Bedford house fire The fire appears accidental, officials said, but the cause is still under investigation. Preliminary reports show no signs of foul play. Investigators believe the fire started near a couch in the first-floor living room, near the front left corner of the home. They found smoking materials and an electrical outlet in the area, but the exact cause remains undetermined. According to the state fire marshal, this fire marks Massachusetts' first fire-related death of the year. Last year, smoking was the leading cause of residential fire fatalities in the state. "On behalf of the New Bedford Fire Department, I want to express our heartfelt condolences to Mr. Martin’s family," Chief Scott Kruger said. "Our thoughts are with them, and also with the residents who lost their home. This is a terrible loss for them and the community." Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW