The Maine Department of Public Safety says officials are looking into two deaths today, at opposite ends of the state. One man was found dead outside his home while the other died in a fire.

State Police say a man found lying outside his home on Long Island, off the coast of Portland, is Steven Michael Hanson, age 59. His body was discovered early Wednesday morning by two men who were out walking and has been taken to the State Medical Examiner's office for an autopsy to determine cause of death. Hanson was a lobsterman.

 

And at the opposite end of the state, the Fire Marshal's office says Patrick Deignan, age 74, has died in a house fire. The blaze broke out on Main Street in St. Francis this morning. Investigators say the fire likely started when Deignan was using a flammable liquid to start his wood stove. His body was found near it, in the basement. The liquid is believed to have been gasoline. Deignan lived alone in the ranch style home.

The State Fire Marshal's office advises never using gasoline to start an indoor fire. As happened in this case, the fumes can explode.

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