MINOT, Maine-- A Hebron firefighter suffered a heart attack Sunday afternoon while helping to battle a blaze at 1249 Route 119 in Minot.
Fire Chief James Trundy, 53, of Hebron was flown to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston by LifeFlight helicopter after collapsing at the scene of the house fire.
Sgt. Ken Grimes of the State Fire Marshal's Office said Trundy suffered the cardiac incident while supervising the water shuttle.
Trundy was listed in stable condition at Central Maine Medical Center Sunday night. Richard Deans, a neighbor of Trundy's, said that the fire chief was "resting comfortably."
"He's responding quite well to treatment," said Deans, who is also a Hebron selectman.
"It is unfortunate that he will be on restrictive duty for a while," Deans said. "I wish him a speedy recovery so he can do his job and continue on."
Trundy's was the only injury sustained at the fire.
Trundy and his crew had responded to the scene to assist the Minot Fire Department with the single-family structure fire that began shortly before 3 p.m. Mechanic Falls, Poland, Buckfield and Auburn crews also responded.
"The fire left the home uninhabitable, even though the structure is still standing," Grimes said. "The interior of the home suffered extensive smoke, water and heat damage."
Firefighters had the blaze under control within 20 minutes, according to Minot fire Chief Steve French.
"We contained the biggest part of the fire to the kitchen," French said. "We've also narrowed down the origin of the fire to an area in the kitchen."
The family that owns the building was not home at the time of the fire, but Grimes knew of at least one dog and one cat that perished in the blaze.
"They are insured and were in the process of contacting the insurance company Sunday night," French said. "The family should be able to salvage many of their personal belongings."
According to French, assistance from the Red Cross was offered, but the family refused and arranged for a place to stay on their own.
The names of the homeowners were not available Sunday night. The State Fire Marshal's Office was continuing its investigation into the cause of the blaze Sunday night.
Republished with permission of the Sun Journal.
