Smoking likely cause of deadly fire
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
EASTON — Improper disposal of smoking materials is believed to be the likely cause of the fire Jan. 29 that claimed the lives of two brothers.
“The State Fire Marshal’s Office says smoking cannot be ruled out as the cause of the fatal fire Jan. 29 in Easton that killed two men. Fire investigators say the fire started in the living room near the couch, but the exact cause cannot be determined,” said Stephen McCausland, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
McCausland said there were no smoke detectors in the two-story house.
“Eight other adults escaped the burning house after one of them was awakened and discovered the fire,” he said.
Investigators interviewed the survivors to try to piece together what transpired prior to the blaze.
“The group had been drinking alcohol for several hours and most were also smoking. The last of the group had gone to bed about an hour before the fire was discovered,” said McCausland.
An autopsy was performed on the victims by the state medical examiner.
“An examination of the bodies of Mark Beaton and his brother, Paul Beaton, by the State Medical Examiner’s Office showed that both men died of smoke inhalation,” said McCausland.
A dog was also lost in the fire. A cat was rescued, taken to the Central Aroostook Humane Society and is undergoing medical treatment for injuries sustained in the blaze.
