A 70-year-old has been identified as the man who died in an Aroostook County house fire last month.
Richard Lawrence was found deceased following the April 9 blaze at the Westfield residence, Shannon Moss, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety, confirmed on Wednesday.
The Mars Hill Fire Department received a report of a fire at 1197 Houlton Road in Westfield shortly before 3:40 p.m. on April 9, Moss said a news release the following morning.
Firefighters encountered heavy fire conditions upon their arrival, Moss said, and family members at the scene indicated someone was likely trapped inside the residence.
Firefighters and investigators with the Office of the State Fire Marshal searched for the victim into the evening and eventually found him dead within the structure.
Witnesses told investigators the fire may have started in the barn area, Moss said in the April news release. In an email on Wednesday, she said the fire marshal’s office is still working to determine an official cause.
The property is located on a rural stretch of Route 1 south of Presque Isle.
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