A woman suffered life-threatening burns in a Thursday night flash fire at her Waterville home.
Lauren Slack, 42, apparently applied lighter fluid to her living room fireplace in her Washington Street home about 7:05 p.m., causing a flash fire, according to Shannon Moss, a spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety.
A neighbor and passer-by, who reported the fire, attempted to enter the home but were pushed back by smoke, Moss said Friday morning.
When firefighters arrived, they entered and brought Slack outside, where they began life-saving measures. Slack was taken to MaineGeneral Medical Center’s Thayer Center in Waterville before being flown to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where she was being treated for life-threatening burns.
The fire caused moderate damage to the home, and several pets died in the blaze. Waterville’s animal control officer is caring for other pets saved from the flames, according to Moss.
The fire remains under investigation.