MONMOUTH, ME — AUGUST 12 — The Monmouth Fire Department arrived at a house fire on Old Lewiston Road following a call that someone was trapped inside.Firefighters from Monmouth, along with police, Winthrop EMS, and other aid departments, responded to the scene.

Police Officer Perkins and Chief Ferland found the trapped person and rescued him by breaking a window after the main exit was blocked.

Firefighters put out the fire in the kitchen and conducted a search, making sure there were no other people inside.

The State Fire Marshal’s Office helped with the investigation.

It was found that the fire began in a plastic trash can in the kitchen near the front door.Burned paper plates, which had been placed in the container after a previous microwave fire while cooking potatoes, were still warm and later caused the trash to catch fire.

This incident highlighted the need to cool materials that have been damaged by fire before throwing them away.

State fire officials also reminded people to keep smoke alarms working and to have a plan for escaping a fire as important safety steps.