SPRINGVALE – A homeowner is believed to have died in a fire at 234 Deering Neighborhood Road in Springvale on Sunday.

Maine Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said that fire investigators believe the identity of the man to be the owner of the property, Charles Kerrigan. The man’s body was found in the garage which was attached to the home.

McCausland said investigators with the State Fire Marshal’s Office have reported that the body will be taken to the medical examiner’s for further examination, but said that Kerrigan, 54, lived alone on the property and was known to often work in the garage.

McCausland said the house and garage burned to the ground.

“It looks like it started in the garage, but investigators have little to work with to pinpoint a cause because of extent of the fire,” said McCausland.

Firefighters from nearly a dozen municipalities fought the blaze in the rural sector of Springvale.

The fire was reported at around 10 a.m. Sunday.

Firefighters set up a tanker relay, drawing water from a location near the intersection of Deering Neighborhood Road and Route 109 and offloading it into a dump tank at the end of the driveway. There are no hydrants in the area.

The home is situated down a narrow dirt driveway. Hoses were laid to ferry water to the blaze. A fire truck was parked part-way down the driveway.

In addition to Sanford, fighting the fire or providing station coverage were firefighters from Acton, Alfred, Arundel, Berwick, Kennebunk, Lebanon, North Berwick, Wells, Shapleigh, Waterboro and Rochester, New Hampshire.

— 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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