SCARBOROUGH, Maine — What began as a vacation for two Connecticut firefighters quickly turned into a life-saving rescue Tuesday afternoon when they pulled two sleeping brothers from a burning home before local crews arrived.
According to the Scarborough Fire Department, Brandon Seney and Dylan Vincent of the East Putnam Fire Department were driving past a home at 4 Sea Meadows Lane around 12:25 p.m. on July 28 when they noticed smoke coming from the property.
At first, the pair believed the smoke was coming from a backyard grill. But as it rapidly intensified, they stopped to investigate and discovered flames spreading across the rear exterior of the home.
The firefighters forced open a rear sliding glass door and entered the residence, where they found two brothers asleep inside after returning from an early morning fishing trip.
The men were able to wake both occupants and safely escort them from the house before the fire spread further.
One of the brothers, Sam DePaolo, later described Seney and Vincent as “the angels on our shoulders.”
After getting the residents to safety, the off-duty firefighters grabbed a household fire extinguisher and a garden hose, using both to keep the flames in check until Scarborough firefighters arrived on scene.
Local crews quickly launched an aggressive interior and exterior attack, opening walls and ceilings to ensure the fire had not spread into hidden spaces. Firefighters brought the blaze under control shortly after 1 p.m.
Multiple departments responded under a mutual aid agreement, including crews from Old Orchard Beach, Biddeford, Saco, Portland, and South Portland. Firefighters from Westbrook and Gorham staffed Scarborough fire stations while local crews remained at the scene.
No residents or civilians were injured in the fire. One Scarborough firefighter was transported to a local hospital for evaluation and was later released.
The home sustained moderate fire damage.
A joint investigation by the Scarborough Fire Department and the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire was accidental.
The Scarborough Fire Department credited the quick actions of the two visiting firefighters with preventing the fire from becoming significantly more destructive and, potentially, saving two lives.
