Authorities are investigating a deadly fire that broke out on Friday morning in a large single-family home in Lebanon, Maine.
Lebanon Fire and EMS said they received a 911 call around 11:40 a.m. Friday from a passerby reporting a fully engulfed house fire at 117 Smith Road. Numerous area fire departments responded to the scene. A heavy column of smoke was visible even before firefighters arrived at the scene.
The first arriving crews immediately began attacking the blaze. There were fire conditions throughout the entire building and one side of the building had already begun to collapse, fire officials said.
One occupant had escaped the home and was found standing on the side of the road. They were taken to an area hospital for treatment.
Firefighters were told than an elderly man was still trapped inside the building on the first-floor rear portion of the home where the fire was the heaviest and the building had partially collapsed. Fire crews were not able to safely enter the building because of the intensity and high volume of flames. Defensive operations were declared, and the Maine State Fire Marshals Office was called to the scene.
The fire was finally declared under control at 1:30 p.m.
The State Fire Marshals Office said a man was found dead inside the building and was removed from the scene and taken to the state medical examiner’s office. His name has not been released pending notification of family.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the fire marshals office.
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