LEWISTON – A St. Croix Street man died Christmas Eve after sustaining severe burns and smoke inhalation in a smoking mishap in his bathroom.

Investigators said 65-year-old Robert Leger was on oxygen when he lit up a cigarette inside his home, causing a small explosion and a fire.

The blaze was first reported by neighbors about noon Friday. Leger died two hours later, after he was taken to Central Maine Medical Center.

A Lewiston fire inspector, a passer-by and a retired Auburn firefighter were credited with coming to Leger’s aid while others called for help.

Leger, who suffered from existing medical problems, was unable to escape on his own as flames spread through his home.

“He was hanging from a porch window yelling for help,” said Lewiston police Officer Robert Morin.

Roger Castonguay, a 34-year-old Lewiston man passing through the area, rushed over and carried Leger off the porch, police and witnesses said.

“I was going by and a woman across the street was yelling, Help! Help!'” Castonguay said. “I stopped and I saw that the house was on fire.”

Leger was on an enclosed porch, leaning from a window when Castonguay ran over to help.

“It was full of smoke. I could barely breathe myself,” Castonguay said. “He wasn’t moving much.”

Castonguay put a coat around Leger, who was clad only in underwear. Retired firefighter John Lizotte, a trained emergency medical technician, was there moments later after running from his nearby home.

Lewiston Fire Inspector Paul Ouellette also sprinted from his nearby house and jumped a fence after smelling smoke coming from Leger’s home.

“He was in the driveway when I got here,” Ouellette said. “He had his hands on the hood of the car. He was covered in soot and he was hacking.”

The rescuers led Leger to a police cruiser to get him out of the cool air while paramedics were on their way. Leger, who lived alone inside the single story home between Pleasant Street and Biron Avenue, was then taken to CMMC, where he died.

Castonguay, whom witnesses praised as a hero, left the area after speaking with police outside Leger’s home.

Firefighters made quick work of the flames inside the house and investigators began their probe soon after.

Because the fire involved a fatality, state fire marshals were called to join the investigation. Ouellette and fire marshal’s office investigator Dan Roy Jr. said early indications were that the combination of smoking and oxygen from Leger’s tube caused the blaze.

“All burn patterns lead back to the bathroom,” Roy said.

Relatives showed up at the scene shortly after the fire was reported and followed an ambulance to the hospital.

Police and fire officials were still at the St. Croix Street home about 2 p.m. when they learned that Leger had died.

Reached at home later in the afternoon, Castonguay said he was surprised and saddened to hear Leger had died.

“He was talking to me and everything out in the driveway,” Castonguay said. “He said he was having trouble breathing, but you sort of expect that. It’s really too bad.”