A Vassalboro man died after a fire broke out in his Hussey Hill Road home Thursday afternoon, authorities said.
Nicholas Blaschke, 26, was found on the floor of the kitchen by his mother, Kathy Cote, when she returned from work, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesman Stephen McCausland said.
Maine State Police Lt. Scott Ireland, who lives nearby, pulled the victim from the smoke-filled house but was unable to resuscitate him. Ireland was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation.
Investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s Office said a toaster in the kitchen malfunctioned, starting the fire in the one-story home.
Comments are not available on this story. Read more about why we allow commenting on some stories and not on others.
We believe it's important to offer commenting on certain stories as a benefit to our readers. At its best, our comments sections can be a productive platform for readers to engage with our journalism, offer thoughts on coverage and issues, and drive conversation in a respectful, solutions-based way. It's a form of open discourse that can be useful to our community, public officials, journalists and others.
We do not enable comments on everything — exceptions include most crime stories, and coverage involving personal tragedy or sensitive issues that invite personal attacks instead of thoughtful discussion.
You can read more here about our commenting policy and terms of use. More information is also found on our FAQs.
Show less