The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating three serious fires that took place in under 24 hours, including one in Augusta that left a man dead.
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Lisbon
At approximately 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, the Lisbon Fire Department received a call from a neighbor reporting that the house at 104 Ferry Road in Lisbon was filled with smoke.
The caller reported seeing flames at the front of the residence.
The fire department arrived and extinguished the blaze quickly, but the home is believed to be a total loss.
The local fire department requested assistance from the Fire Marshal’s office, which determined that the fire started on a mattress in one of the bedrooms.
Investigators believe that it was caused by a malfunctioning electric blanket.
No one was home at the time of the blaze, and the investigation is ongoing.
Augusta
Later the same day, at approximately 2:03 p.m., the Augusta Fire Department responded to a house fire at 347 Riverside Drive.
Firefighters arrived to discover a fire in the home’s basement and found that the male occupant of the residence was outside the building with severe burns.
He was transported to Maine General Hospital in Augusta and taken via LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where he ultimately died from his injuries.
He was identified as Michael Keith, 66, of Augusta.
The Fire Marshal’s office sent investigators to the scene. After inspecting the scene, investigators believed that the fire was caused by flammable liquids igniting near the chimney cleanout door.
The investigation remains ongoing.
Bridgton
At approximately 3:50 a.m. on Friday, the Bridgton Fire Department responded to reports of a fire at a 6 Cross Street residence believed to be abandoned.
Upon arrival, firefighters were unable to determine whether anyone was inside at the time of the fire, so they reached out to the Fire Marshal’s Office for assistance.
Investigators confirmed that the house was empty at the time of the blaze, but the incident remains under investigation, and the Marshal’s Office did not provide any information on the potential cause.
They are urging anyone with information about the fire to reach out.
