SOUTH WINDHAM – The State Fire Marshal’s office on Tuesday determined smoking as the cause of last weekend’s fatal fire in South Windham.

According to Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland, investigators say either a cigar or cigar ashes ignited a futon in the living room of the third floor apartment at 13 Main St. early Sunday morning.

The victim – 25-year-old Parker Blanchard – died from smoke inhalation, McCausland said. The fire has been ruled accidental.

According to Windham Fire Chief Charlie Hammond, nearly 40 firefighters from seven towns – including Windham, Gorham, Gray, Cumberland, Portland, Raymond and Westbrook – were on scene to help battle the blaze that broke out at 3:30 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 11.

Hammond said it was the first fatal fire his department has responded to in the last five years.

According to Hammond, it took crews about an hour and a half to completely douse the fire and to prevent any flare-ups, which, did not occur, he said.

Hammond also said crews did not have any issues transporting water to the fire due to the number of hydrants along Main Street.

“We were lucky in that regard,” Hammond said.

Blanchard was found unresponsive on the bedroom floor of his unit by firefighters at the time of the fire. Attempts to revive Blanchard were unsuccessful, and he was declared dead at the scene.

The other six tenants managed to escape the blaze, according to Hammond. Blanchard’s girlfriend, Annette Kowalik, also 25, was treated at Maine Medical Center in Portland for smoke inhalation, McCausland said.

A man was killed when a fire ripped through 13 Main St. in South Windham Sunday morning. The third floor apartment was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived.Firefighters rest after helping to subdue a fire in South Windham early Sunday morning.Crews from seven area fire departments spent Sunday morning extinguishing a blaze at 13 Main St. in South Windham.