Man Dies in Early Morning Fire in Augusta Area

State Police say a 57-year-old man died after a fire broke out at his home in Manchester, Maine early Saturday morning.

The victim is believed to be Samuel Spinicci, who lived at the house on Granite Hill Road with his wife, Sylvia. Firefighters from Manchester and seven surrounding communities responded to the blaze shortly after 6 a.m. Saturday.

The man’s body was found in a bedroom on the second floor, according to Steve McCausland of the Maine Public Safety Department.

Investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s Office say it appears a fan malfunctioned and set nearby curtains on fire in the bedroom.

The Kennebec Journal reports that Spinicci was a disabled Navy veteran and he and his wife operated Kennebec Taxi in the Augusta area. Sylvia Spinicci reportedly was talking with her daughter, who was staying in a camper in the driveway, when they spotted the fire.

The State Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed late Saturday that the man died from smoke inhalation.