Jan. 24—Officials have identified the victim who perished in a fire late Friday at a mobile home in Milford as a longtime and beloved employee at a Manchester auto dealership.

The NH Medical Examiner's Office has identified the victim as 65-year-old Patrick F. Walsh, Jr. of Milford. The cause of his death was determined to be smoke inhalation and the manner of his death was accidental.

According to an obituary submitted for publication by family members, Walsh was a sales representative at Bonneville car dealership in Manchester for the past 15 years, "where he helped many customers buy the car of their choice."

According to the obituary, in his younger years Walsh enjoyed playing tennis, but skiing was his favorite sport.

"Many winters would find him skiing the challenging slopes of mountains in the Midwest at various ski resorts," the obituary says. "But a special trip he took to Switzerland to ski the Matterhorn was his real pride and joy."

Family members describe him as an "easygoing guy and made friends easily." He grew up in Winchester, Mass.

The state fire marshal's office said the fire happened Friday around 11:45 p.m. at 11 Leisure Way. Witnesses reported seeing smoke and fire through a window of a mobile home and that someone was trapped inside, officials said in a news release.

Milford firefighters went into the building and extinguished the fire. Once inside crews reported finding a person determined to be dead.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the New Hampshire State Fire Marshal's Office at fmo@dos.nh.gov or 603-223-4289.

A visiting hour for Walsh will be held Saturday, Jan. 28, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. in the Smith & Heald Funeral Home, 63 Elm St., in Milford. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church, 34 Amherst St., in Milford.

Burial will be private in Wildwood Cemetery, Winchester, Mass.

To share a memory or offer a condolence, please go to www.smith-heald.com.