A Windham man died tragically on Tuesday while refueling his boat after the gas fumes ignited, and he was either thrown or jumped into Little Sebago Lake.
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The Windham Police Department and Windham Fire and Rescue responded at approximately 4:16 p.m. to reports of a male floating face down in Little Sebago Lake.
Fire and rescue personnel brought the man to shore and initiated life-saving measures, but he was ultimately pronounced dead at the scene.
Based on the preliminary investigation, police believe that the man was refueling his docked boat when the fumes caught fire. They think that he either jumped into the water to avoid the flames or was pushed in by the blast.
The man’s condition at the time he entered the water is not clear, and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death.
Maine Warden Service, the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office, and the Cumberland County Dive Team all assisted in the investigation.
The Windham Police Department’s statement said that they were intentionally withholding the victim’s name until they notified the next of kin, but by the time their release was issued, news outlets had already identified the victim as Allan Ryder, 78, of Windham.
