By Dominik Lobkowicz
Firefighters peel siding off Pinkham’s Auto Repair & Tires in Waldoboro April 24 in their effort extinguish a fire in the building. (D. Lobkowicz photo) |
Updated May 1 at 2:15 p.m.
The remains of a man found in Pinkham’s Auto Repair & Tires in Waldoboro after it burned April 24 have been positively identified as the business’s owner,
Jeff Pinkham, according to Waldoboro Fire Chief Paul Smeltzer.
Smeltzer told The Lincoln County News he received confirmation of the identification from the medical examiner’s office shortly after 12:30 p.m. on
May 1.
A number of area fire departments were mobilized the morning of April 24 after the structure fire at the garage was paged out shortly after 5 a.m.
Pinkham’s body was found in the basement of the garage, but the fire investigation and recovery of his remains were delayed due a cave-in of the first
floor, officials said. Fire investigators said the fire appeared to have started in the basement, according to a press release from the State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Since the fire, Pinkham was considered missing. His truck was in the garage at the time of the fire, according to the release.
The Maine State Police Crime Lab was working this week to identify the remains by DNA, Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said
previously.
According to a May 1 press release from McCausland, investigators believe Pinkham, 53, started the fire before taking his own life.
