LEBANON — The victim of a fatal fire was remembered Thursday by neighbors as a nice man and car enthusiast who led a quiet life.

Kevin Struble, 57, lived alone at 185 Bakers Grant Road, which was destroyed Wednesday by a fire that may have started in the basement. The State Medical Examiner’s office Thursday afternoon confirmed the body found in the home was Struble, and the cause of death was fire- related.

The home was set back from the road at the end of a long dirt driveway; it was surrounded by woods to the side and a field in the back where a neighbor said deer are often sighted. Alongside the road, at the mouth of the driveway, sits a garage, where neighbors say Struble once worked on cars.

“He was a nice guy, kept to himself,” said Tim Nice, who lives across the street from what was Struble’s house.

Nice said that Struble, who had both legs amputated and had a local caregiver, roamed around the neighborhood in a golf cart even before losing his legs. He would sometimes sit near the garage in front of his house and watch traffic go by, Nice said.

Nice added that Struble used to stop by Nice’s garage across the street to see what kind of car he was working on.

Fire investigators believe the fire began in the basement of the home, but because of the extensive damage, the exact cause cannot be determined, said Steve McCausland, spokesman for the Maine Department of Public Safety.

The body was found in the living room next to a wheelchair, McCausland said.

On Thursday morning, the smell of smoke still prevailed around the house, and faint puffs of steam rose from a few areas of the charred structure.

Another neighbor, Clyde Patten, stopped by Thursday to look at the damage. He said he sold the house several years ago to Struble’s father, who saw the property and bought it for his son while vacationing in Maine from New Jersey. After selling the house, Patten later moved next door.

A New Jersey native, Struble was a mechanic and worked as a janitor until he was unable to work, Patten said. Struble had also been a firefighter in New Jersey, said Patten.

Struble had a tough life during the past decade, Patten said. In addition to Struble losing both legs, his wife committed suicide on the property about five to 10 years ago, he said.

Near the house was an open garage that housed a Chevrolet El Camino that hadn’t been registered since 2000. Patten said Struble intended to fix it up, but had trouble finding the right parts.

“He ain’t had no luck,” said Patten.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or [email protected].