COPLIN PLANTATION — A leak in a propane cooking stove provided the fuel for a fire that destroyed a seasonal camp and sent the occupant to the hospital with burn injuries last week, according to the state fire marshal’s office.

Sgt. Ken Grimes, of the fire marshal’s office, said Timothy Henderson, 71, of Ellsworth, went to light a smoking pipe near the area of the leak. That was enough to ignite the propane on the floor of the seasonal camp at 113 Porcupine Trail on Feb. 6.

Grimes said the state fire marshal’s office has concluded that the fire was accidental, after investigating the scene along with state propane examiners.

Henderson suffered burns that were not life-threatening, Grimes said, and was taken first to Franklin Memorial Hospital before being transferred to Maine Medical Center in Portland for treatment of his injuries.

Firefighters from the Eustis, Carrabassett Valley and Rangeley fire departments worked for six hours to put out the blaze, according to Eustis Fire Lt. Scott Statcher. Coplin Plantation is east of Carrabassett Valley and south of Eustis.

The house already was fully engulfed in flames when the Eustis Fire Department arrived first, Statcher said the next morning.

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Meanwhile, the state fire marshal’s office still is investigating another fire that happened the same week, on Feb. 8, at the former San Antonio Shoe factory in Pittsfield. Grimes said investigators are working to identify who might be responsible for the fire, which they say was “intentionally set” in the abandoned empty factory.

Madeline St. Amour — 861-9239

mstamour@centralmaine.com

Twitter: @madelinestamour


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