MECHANIC FALLS — Officials have determined the cause of a fire last week that killed one man and sent another to the hospital.
“The fire is being classified as accidental,” Sgt. Ken Grimes of the State Fire Marshal’s Office said Monday. “The deceased (David Taylor) was mixing gasoline and oil for his chain saw for work the next day — and smoking.”
Taylor, 46, was in the living room of his apartment at 3 Maple St. at the time. Fire from the cigarette ignited the gas vapors on his clothes, Grimes said. A friend, Thomas Cunneen, tried to extinguish the flames and suffered burns and respiratory problems. Cunneen was taken to Maine Medical Center with nonlife threatening injuries, he said.
Last Wednesday’s fire left nine people homeless. Firefighters from 10 area towns responded to the scene.
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