The Old Orchard Beach fire chief charged with arson for allegedly setting a fire that burned 42 acres of marshland has stepped down from the department.
Ricky Plummer submitted a letter about his decision to the town on May 15, Town Manager Larry Mead said Wednesday.
The Old Orchard Beach Town Council on Tuesday night unanimously appointed William Farley to serve as interim fire chief.
After his arrest, Plummer was placed on administrative leave by Old Orchard Beach, where his annual salary was $70,500.
Plummer, 59, was arrested on an arson charge May 7. Investigators say Plummer, who had been the town’s fire chief since 2014, told them he discarded a cigarette butt in dry, chest-high marsh grass, according to court records.
The seven-alarm fire burned 42 acres and forced the evacuation of a condominium complex. Flames came within 100 feet of the building as more than 100 firefighters tried to contain the wind-whipped flames.
In his letter to Mead, Plummer said he has “decided to retire from my position as fire chief for the town of Old Orchard Beach effective immediately.” He said he had accrued vacation, personal and sick days and requested to know the number of days for which he will be paid.
Plummer had been a firefighter since 1974. Before becoming fire chief in Old Orchard Beach in 2014, he worked at several departments in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Florida.
Plummer is next scheduled to appear in court for a conference in the case on Sept. 8. If he is indicted by a grand jury before then, he could be rescheduled to appear for an arraignment to enter a plea.
If convicted of arson, Plummer will face as much as 30 years in prison.
Farley, who lives in Old Orchard Beach, has more than 45 years of fire service experience, Mead said. Farley served for more than 30 years with the Falmouth Fire Department, including two years as a district chief, two years as a part-time departmental chief and 12 years as deputy chief. He left that department in 1999 when he moved to Old Orchard Beach.
Farley joined the Old Orchard Beach Fire Department call-force in 2000 and has served as a lieutenant for the past five years, Mead said. He owned Radio Communications Management for 18 years until he retired in 2014.
“Chief Farley is well regarded within the Old Orchard Beach Fire Department for his knowledge, experience and dedication,” Mead said in a statement. “He will work closely with the four departmental captains as it relates to department operations and will be responsible for the administrative oversight of the department on a daily basis, including financial and personnel management.”
Mead said the town will immediately begin the process to recruit and appoint a new fire chief.
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