NEW GLOUCESTER — Authorities have identified the man who died in a fire at 81 Bluff Circle on Sunday night as 63-year-old Raymond Howland.
Howland died of smoke inhalation, according to a statement by Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland.
The fire started in the living room, but investigators say the cause cannot be determined. Investigators did find that a battery-operated smoke alarm in the house was not working, according to the statement.
Howland’s body was found on the front stairway in the split-level home, and investigators believe Howland could have survived the fire if he was alerted by working smoke alarms, according to the statement.
Capt. Scott Doyle said several neighbors reported the blaze at 9:21 p.m. Firefighters had to wait about five minutes before they could start battling the fire due to exploding ammunition in the house.
The nearest hydrant was dry, so firefighters had to pump water from a brook, Doyle said.
The victim’s body is at the Office of the Maine Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for an autopsy and identification, Doyle said. The Office of the State Fire Marshal is investigating.
The home, valued at more than $150,000, was destroyed.
More than 40 firefighters and EMTs were on scene, Doyle said. The scene was cleared around midnight.
Doyle said residents should check smoke detectors to make sure they are working properly. This was the 15th fire fatality in 2015, according to McCausland’s statement.
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