A lone gunman shot dead two volunteer firefighters -- injuring two others -- when he ambushed them at the scene of an early morning housefire in a suburb of Rochester, New York.

Webster Police Chief Gerald Pickering called it a set up.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) TOWN OF WEBSTER POLICE CHIEF, GERALD PICKERING, SAYING:

"It does appear that it was a trap that was set "

The gunman, who also died, opened fire around 5:45 am as firefighters responded to reports of a house blaze.

(SOUNDBITE) (English) TOWN OF WEBSTER POLICE CHIEF, GERALD PICKERING, SAYING:

"We can report at this time that the shooter is deceased. He died of a self-inflicted gun wound., His name is william Spengler. (EDIT) Mr. Spengler has quite a lengthy criminal history. In 1980 he was arrested by the Webster police and charged with killing his grandmother.

Authorities say Spengler set the fire -- laying in wait for the first responders.

The shooting comes as people are still coming to terms with a deadly school massacre in Connecticut, in which 20 school children and six adults were gunned down in a rampage.