A 76-year-old man died in a house fire in Dedham on Wednesday morning after he re-entered the burning home to look for his dog, according to the state Fire Marshal’s Office.
It is the second time this month that a homeowner has been killed re-entering a burning house to look for lost pets. On Feb. 4, an Orland man died after he went back into his burning home to look for his dog.
Jerry Bishop and his 77-year-old wife, Phyllis Bishop, were awakened by smoke detectors Wednesday morning and both safely got out of the house, she told investigators.
Jerry Bishop then re-entered the burning house to look for his dog. His body was later found inside the house a few feet from the door. The dog, a husky, had not been located, according to a spokesman for the Maine Department of Safety.
The log cabin house on Privet Road was destroyed by the fire. State fire investigators said the cause of the fire has not been determined, although the couple reported some electrical issues at the home the day before.
Dedham is between Bangor and Ellsworth in Hancock County.
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