BRADFORD, Vt. — A 65-year-old Bradford man was critically injured in a fire on Saturday afternoon.
Firefighters found Mark Hewes in a camper on the property located at 2937 Goshen Road with burns to his arms, ears, neck and face at about 1:20 p.m. Saturday, according to a news release from Vermont State Police.
Upper Valley Ambulance transported Hewes to Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon where he was listed in critical condition. He was later taken by helicopter to Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Other occupants of the camper extinguished the fire before the Bradford Fire Department’s arrival, according to a news release from the department. The camper occupants told firefighters that Hewes had been injured by a portable heater.
At the Bradford Fire Department’s request, the Vermont Department of Public Safety Fire and Explosion Investigation Unit investigated the incident, state police said. The preliminary investigation indicates the fire was accidental and related to the heater. It is not considered suspicious.
Space heaters should be at least three feet away from anything combustible and should not be left unattended, according to the Vermont Division of Fire Safety.
Those with information about the fire are asked to contact Vermont State Police Detective Sgt. Christopher Blais at the Royalton Barracks at 802-234-9933 or by contacting the Vermont Arson Tip Award Program hotline at 1-800-32-ARSON (1-800-322-7766).