The charred remains of a home and garage at 54 Jordan Road in Mechanic Falls continue to smolder Monday, a day after it burned, killing 74-year-old Terry Bisbee. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal
MECHANIC FALLS — A fire Sunday night that killed a woman at 54 Jordan Road may have started in the garage.
Fire Chief Fred Sturtevant said Monday that Terry Bisbee, 74, the Bisbee family’s grandmother, was the only person at home at the time of the fire.
The property belongs to Bradley Bisbee and the heirs of Leland R. Bisbee, according to records.
Next of kin had been notified of the death, officials said.
Efforts to fight the fire were hindered by lack of personnel and water, Sturtevant said, noting the site was outside of the town’s fire hydrant system.
Firefighters responded at 7:18 p.m. to a 911 call reporting a structure fire with a person trapped inside, Sturtevant said. Smoke detectors in the home were working.
He said the Maine Office of the State Fire Marshal is continuing to investigate the cause of the fire, which is currently ruled undetermined. A meat smoker appeared to have been in use in the garage, he said.
The garage was engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived and eventually spread to the attached house. The garage was considered a total loss due to the fire damage; the home was a total loss due to fire and smoke damage, Sturtevant said.
The home was not insured, according to the chief. The family and friends plan to create GoFundMe pages to help raise money for the family, he said.
Mutual aid departments came from Minot, Poland, Auburn, Oxford, Casco, Paris, Norway, Hebron and Otisfield as well as ambulance crews from United and Pace were at the scene.
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