LYMAN — Friends of a Sanford call firefighter who suffered a serious medical emergency while driving a squad truck to a fire Saturday have set up a Go Fund Me website to help him and his family.

Friends of Capt. Kevin Harmon, who remained at Maine Medical Center this mornings, said he is recovering. Harmon was driving the truck on Washington Street late Saturday afternoon on his way to a fire in Lyman when the medical emergency took place and he crashed the truck into a guardrail, Sanford Fire Capt. Brian Watkins said this morning. He suffered no injuries as a result of the crash itself.

Sanford was among several mutual aid departments called to 52 Alewive Road at about 3:20 p.m. Saturday. Goodwin’s Mills Fire Department Chief Rod Hooper said the department ”“ and several others ”“ responded to a report of a shed fire extending into the woods on the property.

As it turned out, Arundel Fire Department had the first fire engine on the scene because Goodwin’s Mills’ first responders were out on two ambulance calls. Hooper said when the first units arrived, the shed and a kitchen wall of the house were fully involved with fire, and it was extending into the attic of the house. He said the fire was contained in about 30 minutes.

Hooper said firefighters believe the fire started outside the home near the shed. An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s office was scheduled to be in Lyman today to try and determine the cause.

Aside from the crash that involved the Sanford call firefighter, there were no injuries.

Hooper said the property, the property of Ken Robida and his family, was insured. The American Red Cross is assisting the family.

Hooper said a second alarm was called for manpower because the department’s full-time staff was being occupied on ambulance calls and because a holiday weekend meant there were fewer volunteers ”“ at a time when volunteers are hard to come by. In addition to Goodwin’s Mills, Arundel and Sanford, crews from Biddeford, Kennebunk, Alfred, Waterboro, Hollis, Buxton and Old Orchard Beach assisted.

“No one of these towns can (fight) a fire like that by themselves, Hooper said. “We are so reliant on our neighboring communities. It’s a sign of the times.”

As to Harmon, Watkins said he was driving a squad truck, which carries equipment like air bottles, to the Lyman scene when the crash took place. He said Harmon has been a longtime Sanford call firefighter. Watkins said EMS personnel were on the scene to help Harmon in less than a minute.

The Go Fund Me site is at: www.gofundme.com/vfhd8c. According to information posted on the page, Harmon suffered a heart attack on his way to the fire. While he has worker’s compensation, Harmon is self-employed and supporters said there will be a number of additional expenses associated with his hospitalization and convalescence.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or twells@journaltribune.com.

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