Victim Identified in Benton Fatal Fire; Cause Remains Under Investigation

October 24, 2025 — by Scanner Alerts Media

BENTON, Maine — The Office of Chief Medical Examiner has identified the victim of the Benton fatal fire as Paul Verville, 62. Officials state that the cause of the fire remains under investigation. No additional details were released with the identification update.

Previous release recap:

According to the Office of State Fire Marshal, on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, at approximately 2:07 a.m., investigators responded to 70 Pleasant Drive in Benton at the request of Fairfield-Benton Fire Rescue following a report of a residential fire. On arrival, firefighters located a single-family residence fully involved. Mutual aid was provided by the Waterville, Albion, Clinton, Skowhegan, and Oakland Fire Departments.

Suppression efforts brought the fire under control. The release reported that Pleasant Street was temporarily closed to allow for emergency operations. During those operations, crews located a deceased individual inside the residence. The decedent was transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for examination to determine the cause of death and for positive identification.

In addition to the deceased occupant, one dog was also found deceased inside the home. The initial release noted that the cause of the fire was under investigation and that no further information was available at that time.

Update details:

The identification of the victim as Paul Verville, 62 was issued after the medical examiner’s office completed its initial examination and confirmed identity. The present update does not include additional findings on origin, cause, or contributing factors and reiterates that investigators are continuing their work. No further information was provided regarding structural assessments, damage estimates, or anticipated timelines for the investigative phase.

This article consolidates the identification update with the previously released incident details: the early-morning dispatch and response, the multi-agency mutual aid, the temporary road closure in the area of the fire scene, the discovery and transfer of the decedent to Augusta, and the ongoing nature of the investigation. Any subsequent determinations regarding the cause of the fire or related circumstances will be reported when released by the responsible agencies.

Credit: Office of State Fire Marshal