Structure fire destroys Gorham home, leaves man injured
Feb. 14—One man was injured and a house destroyed in a fire spurred by strong winds in Gorham on Friday afternoon, officials said.
Crews responded to a second-alarm structure fire at 191 New Portland Road about 2 p.m. The blaze burned for at least an hour and shut down the adjacent road for much of the afternoon, Fire Chief Ken Fickett said.
A preliminary investigation suggests that Daryoush Saadatfar was cooking outside under the home's deck when gusts of up to 40 mph carried the flames up, burning his face and spreading to the structure, Fickett said.
Saadatfar was taken to Maine Medical Center for burns and smoke inhalation, but his injuries were not life-threatening, Fickett said. The man's wife, Forozan Saadatfar, was not injured.
"Totally accidental fire. Unfortunately, it demolished the house," Fickett said. "With the wind ... it just took off. It's like the California fires."
Fickett said the couple speaks Farsi, and emergency crews had trouble speaking directly with the victim, whose wife interpreted some details.
"We're trying to find an interpreter so we can talk to him," Fickett said. He said a more complete investigation will follow.
Officials closed New Portland Road between its intersections with Johnson and Brackett roads and asked motorists to seek alternative routes in an announcement about 2 p.m. Fickett said the road "just reopened now" on a phone call about 4:45 p.m.
The fire spread to the eaves and attic of the home, limiting firefighters' access to the blaze, Fickett said.
"The way the house was built, it was just a very big challenge," he said.
The Red Cross is helping the couple find temporary accommodations, Fickett said.
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