WATERVILLE — A woman rescued from her Washington Street home during a fire Thursday was flown to a Portland hospital with life-threatening burns.

A passerby reported the fire at 29 Washington St. around 7 p.m., and with a neighbor, tried to enter the house believing it was occupied but were pushed back by smoke, Shannon Moss, spokeswoman for the Maine Department of Public Safety, said in a news release.

“Firefighters arrived on scene and entered the residence, where they located and removed a female occupant,” Moss said in the release. “Crews immediately began life-saving measures before the victim was transported by Delta Ambulance to MaineGeneral Medical Center Thayer Center in Waterville. She was later transported by LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center in Portland. The occupant, 42-year-old Lauren Slack sustained life-threatening burn injuries.”

The state Fire Marshal’s Office determined the fire originated in a living room fireplace, according to Moss.

“Investigators determined the occupant had applied lighter fluid to a fire in the fireplace, creating a flash fire that caused the injuries. The fire caused moderate damage to the single-family home. Several pets died in the fire, while others survived and are being cared for by the Waterville Animal Control Officer.” 

When firefighters arrived, they saw fire on the first floor, visible through a porch window, according to a news release from Waterville Fire Department Capt. Jesse Morkeski.

The fire department release says the fire was contained to the room where it started.

“Significant smoke, water and fire damage will render the residence inhabitable,” Morkeski said in the release.

The Winslow and Oakland fire departments responded to the scene and the Fairfield Fire Department covered the Waterville fire station. Waterville police helped with the investigation and traffic control, and no injuries to firefighters were reported, according to Moss.

The Fire Marshal’s Office will continue to investigate, she said.