FMO Investigating Fatal Fire in Sumner

December 3, 2025 — by Scanner Alerts Media

SUMNER, Maine — The Maine Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a fatal structure fire on Valley Road in Sumner.

According to officials, the Sumner Fire Department was dispatched at approximately 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday after a caller reported seeing a fire from a distance and dialed 911. Due to the residence’s off-grid location and a roughly one-mile approach, responding crews used all-terrain vehicles and 4x4 pickup trucks to access the scene.

Firefighters arrived to find a deceased adult male outside the structure. The residence, powered by propane and solar energy, was a total loss.

Because of the circumstances and the fatality, the Sumner Fire Department requested assistance from the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office to conduct an origin-and-cause investigation. That investigation remains active and ongoing. The Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta is working with the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office to positively identify the deceased individual.

No further details are being released at this time.

Credit: Maine Fire Marshal’s Office; Sumner Fire Department