Smoking blamed for fatal fire
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
FIRE CLAIMS ELDERLY WOMAN — A fire Monday afternoon at an housing complex located on Dupont Drive in Presque Isle claimed the life of a 78-year-old woman, identified as Eleanor Gould.
The Presque Isle Fire Department, with 22 firefighters and three trucks responded to Mountain View Apartments to find one of the apartments fully engulfed. Emergency personnel found the victim inside a downstairs apartment, of the multi-unit structure. Four apartments were damaged as a result of the blaze. No other injuries were reported.
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — Smoking was deemed the cause of Monday’s fatal fire that claimed the life of a 78-year-old woman, identified as Eleanor Gould by the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
The Presque Isle Fire Department was dispatched around 2:32 p.m. April 25 for an apartment fire with possible occupants trapped inside one of the units at Mountain View Apartments, located on Dupont Drive.
“Heavy fire and black smoke was pouring out of a ground floor apartment door and window and was burning up the side of the building and extending into the apartment directly above,” said Richard Wark, deputy chief, PIFD.
Wark said after a quick “knock-down” and search, one victim was found in the lower apartment. Authorities had been told there might be three individuals trapped inside but upon investigation, only the victim was determined to be in the structure.
“A quick search was made of the other three apartments (adjacent units in the building) involved and no other occupants were found. The fire was extinguished on all floors and salvage and overhaul operations were completed,” Wark said.
Fire investigators indicated a care giver reported the fire.
“The fire was reported about 2:30 p.m. inside Gould’s apartment at 53 Dupont Drive by a care giver who had stopped by to see her,” said Steve McCausland, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
McCausland said Gould’s body was found in the living room of the apartment and there was fire and smoke damage to Gould’s apartment and to a second apartment above hers.
The PIFD responded with 22 firefighters, two engines and the ladder truck. Crews remained on scene for about four hours making sure the blaze was extinguished. Tenants were evacuated from neighboring apartments as a safety precaution.
“There were no other injuries on the fire ground and the other tenants in the rest of the complex were allowed back into their units after approximately two hours. Two units received fire damage and an additional two received only minor smoke damage,” said Wark.
Despite extensive damage to the unit where the fire originated, which was deemed a total loss, firefighters were able to quickly control the blaze, saving the structure. Using axes, firefighters knocked down part of the ceiling on the second floor to gain access to a hot spot, extinguishing the flames before they had a chance to spread. Adjoining units sustained varying degrees of smoke and water damage, leaving one tenant homeless as the result of the fire.
Outside the building, tenants and neighbors — some barefoot and short sleeves, taking in the sunshine and nearly 60-degree day — gathered to watch as crews worked. Melted yellow siding hung like ice cream dripping from a cone, exposing insulation board beneath. Damage is estimated in the thousands.
Tim Lowell, an investigator with the Fire Marshal’s Office, was on site Monday afternoon, determining the cause of the fire was smoking while on oxygen. Gould was reportedly disabled and had a motorized scooter in her apartment, leading officials to believe she had difficulty getting around.
The building is owned by Phil Halvorson.
“The building was insured and the owner hopes to have the other occupants back into their apartments soon,” said Wark.
The PIFD received assistance from the Presque Isle Police Department, Crown Ambulance and Maine Public Service Company.
