Fire Marshal Investigating Fatal Fire in Coastal Maine

According to a press release from the Maine Department of Public Safety, the Maine Fire Marshal's Office is in the process of investigating a fatal fire in Harrington.

The press release explains that, at about 7:30 on Wednesday evening, the Harrington Fire Department was called to a piece of property on Becky Lane.  When they arrived, firefighters found a truck camper that was engulfed in flames.  First responders also found a deceased person inside the camper.

That person is believed to be 40-year-old Carol Curtis.  According to the press release, she did not own the property, but did have permission to be there.  She had reportedly been living in the camper.

The body of the deceased was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta.  An autopsy is scheduled to be performed so that a cause of death can be determined and a positive identification can be made.

An investigation into the cause of the fire continues.

According to the Maine Fire Marshal's Office, so far, there have been 22 investigated fires in the state of Maine in 2023.  Those fires led to at least 24 fatalities.  That is up slightly from the 2022 totals of 16 fires and 19 fatalities, but down from the 2021 totals of 23 fires and 27 deaths.

The website explains that the mission of the Fire Marshal's Office is to:

 prevent loss of life and property for those that live, work and visit the State of Maine.  Our goal is to protect against the devastation of fire, explosions and life safety hazards with integrity and fairness through prevention, public education, planning, research, investigation and enforcement of enacted laws and rules