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The man who was found dead outside the remains of a burned house on Dec. 3 has been identified as Martin Gibson, 72, who lived off-the-grid on Valley Road in Sumner. (Courtesy of Maine Department of Public Safety)

The Maine Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has identified the body of the individual found outside a home during a fire on Valley Road on Dec. 3 as Martin Gibson, 72.

Firefighters from several towns responded to the fire that was reported at about 5 p.m. Firefighters and others cleared the more than mile-long driveway of snow to get up to the off-the-grid home in four-by-four utility vehicles.

The body was taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for identification, according to Shannon Moss, public information officer for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

The investigation into the origin and cause of the fire remains ongoing and is being conducted by the Office of State Fire Marshal. Due to the extent of the fire damage, the cause may be difficult to determine.

The residence, which was powered solely by propane and solar energy, was a total loss, according to a release distributed by Moss.

Donna M. Perry is a general assignment reporter who has lived in Livermore Falls for 30 years and has worked for the Sun Journal for 20 years. Before that she was a correspondent for the Livermore Falls...