ANSON, Maine — A man died Sunday morning in a house fire in Anson.
Fire Chief Stacey Beane said he likely lived alone in his home on Moore Street.
The state fire marshal's office on Tuesday identified the victim as 75-year-old Richard Duley, according to Maine's Public Safety spokesperson.
A cause of death had yet to be determined.
Chief Beane said a neighbor called in the fire.
When firefighters arrived on scene, they found heavy smoke coming from the windows and eaves, but were unsure if the home was occupied. The neighbor who called in the fire said that if a car was in the driveway, the homeowner was inside.
Beane said firefighters began search and rescue as soon as they arrived, but had difficulty getting in through the front door due to something blocking the way. Beane could not identify what that object was. She said firefighters eventually entered the home through another egress.
She said the home suffered "a lot of damage," and is a total loss.
The fire originated in the basement area of the home near the interior stairs, the fire marshal's office said, per the Public Safety spokesperson. Investigators on Tuesday determined with help from a state electrical inspector that the fire was caused by electrical conductor failure. It was deemed accidental in nature.
Duley was found in the living room near the stairway with a fire extinguisher next to him, the fire marshal's office said.
Beane said the home did not have sprinklers or smoke detectors. She said the home was "cluttered."
"[Duley] wasn't a hoarder, necessarily, but liked to collect stuff," Beane said. "[The house was] full of stuff. It made it impossible to get in there."
This was the second fatal fire in three days where firefighters had difficulties navigating the house due to a large amount of personal belongings inside.
Beane said another man died in a similar fire earlier this winter.
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She said it took more than two and half hours to get the fire out.
Anson, Madison, East Madison, Starks, Athens, Skowhegan, and Norridgewock firefighters all responded to the scene.