ME Firefighter Killed in Four-Alarm Apartment Fire

March 1, 2019
Berwick Fire Capt. Joel Barnes succumbed to the injuries he received battling a blaze Friday that also hospitalized four other firefighters.

A Maine firefighter was killed and four other firefighters were injured Friday battling a four-alarm fire at an apartment complex.

Berwick Fire Capt. Joel Barnes succumbed to the injuries he received fighting the blaze at the three-story building that firefighters from 16 Maine and New Hampshire departments responded to, WCSH-TV reports. The 32-year-old, whose body will be autopsied by the New Hampshire Medical Examiner's office in Concord, is survived by his mother, father and sister, according to WGME-TV.

The fire broke out at about 11 a.m. in the 0-100 block of Bell Street in Berwick. The building's residents were able to safely escape, but four firefighters were taken to Wentworth-Douglas Hospital in Dover, NH, and later released, WCSH reports.

Around 75 firefighters tackled the fire, according to WGME. During the blaze, the building's roof collapsed, and the crew inside issued a mayday call, WABI-TV reports.

The fire is currently under investigation.

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