A fire Monday night at 98 Leeman Arm Road in Palermo injured one man who was taken by LifeFlight of Maine to a Portland hospital. On Tuesday, investigators found a body while investigating the remains. (Courtesy of the Office of State Fire Marshal)
An explosion and fire at a Palermo home late Monday night left one person dead and another severely burned, officials said.
Firefighters from several area departments were called to the structure fire at 98 Leeman Arm Road around 11:25 p.m., the Office of State Fire Marshal said in a statement Tuesday.
The initial call reported an explosion followed by a fully involved structure fire, Chief Roger Komandt of the Palermo Volunteer Fire and Rescue Department said in a phone call Tuesday morning.
“Investigators believe there may have been an explosion inside the residence prior to the fire,” the fire marshal’s office said in an update later Tuesday, noting investigators were still determining the cause. “The home was supplied with propane gas for appliances and heating.”
Firefighters responding to the blaze found a man with severe burns outside the house, the fire marshal’s office said. He was transported by ambulance to MaineGeneral Medical Center in Augusta and then via LifeFlight of Maine to MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland.
The man, whose name was not released, was in critical condition as of Tuesday morning, the fire marshal’s office said.
The man had told firefighters on scene that another person was inside the residence, and “recovery efforts” for him were ongoing Tuesday morning, according to the fire marshal’s office.
Around 3 p.m., the office said it recovered the body from the fire scene. The body was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for positive identification and determination of the cause of death.
Photos shared by the fire marshal’s office show the home was completely destroyed.
A fire Monday night at 98 Leeman Arm Road in Palermo injured one man. On Tuesday, fire investigators reported finding a body among the remains. (Courtesy of the Office of State Fire Marshal)
The only part of the structure of the single family home left standing is the fireplace, Komandt said.
People have said on social media that they felt the shockwaves from the initial reported explosion across Sheepscot Lake, which the house is near, according to Komandt.
Six state fire investigators responded to the fire, and state propane inspectors assisted them.
Departments in Albion, Belmont, China, China Village, Freedom, Liberty, Montville, Searsmont and Washington provided mutual aid, Komandt said.
“The State Fire Marshal’s Office reminds the public during the heating season to have heating systems inspected and cleaned by a licensed professional,” the office said in a statement. “All homes should be equipped with properly functioning smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.”
