This story has been updated.
A mobile home was destroyed by fire Friday on Braden Street in Presque Isle.
The home at 24 Braden St. was owned by Melvin McNeil, 75, Presque Isle Fire Department Captain Kyle Bartley said.
McNeil was home at the time and was taken to Northern Light A.R. Gould Memorial Hospital with burn injuries, Bartley said.
Personnel received the call at about noontime Friday.
Early Friday afternoon, firefighters were dealing with the smoldering remains of the structure.
Neighbors said McNeil lived alone and had a dog. The terrified dog darted around the area as bystanders and firefighters tried to coax it to safety.
“I heard that somebody had gotten the dog and it was safe,” Bartley said later Friday.
The home was not insured and is a total loss, he said.
A neighbor had called the station directly to report the fire, which isn’t always the best idea, Bartley said. He urged people to call 911.
“We may not be at the station if we’re out on other calls,” he said. “If you call 911, it gets logged through the Houlton Regional Command Center and Presque Isle dispatch correctly, and ensures personnel can get there as quickly as possible.”
