ROCKLAND — A 37-year-old man died Saturday morning in a shipping container that he had been sleeping in, according to police.

Adam Purington was found dead inside the container, which was used to store bait, according to Rockland police Detective Alex Gaylor.

The cause of death has not been confirmed by the state Medical Examiner’s Office but Gaylor said Purington may have died from carbon monoxide poisoning. A forklift had been running in the container, possibly to provide heat, Gaylor said. The temperature outside dropped to 25 degrees Saturday morning.

This is the shipping  container in which Adam Purington was found dead Saturday morning at the Rockland Fish Pier. Photo by Stephen Betts

Purington worked to load and unload lobsters for Frank Thompson of Vinalhaven, who delivers lobsters from the Penobscot Bay island to Rockland.

“He was a very nice man. He kept to himself,” Thompson said Monday.

Both Thompson  and Rockland Assistant Harbor Master Mark Tibbetts said they were not aware that Purington was sleeping in the container. But Gaylor said people he interviewed were not surprised that Purington was sleeping there.

Purington lived in Gardiner, Thompson said. He said Purington was not married and to his knowledge did not have children.

Police received the call at 7 a.m. Saturday at the city-owned fish pier.

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