Overview

• Fire crews were dispatched at approximately 2:17 a.m. to 43 St. Lawrence St., a three-story, four-unit building.
• Responders encountered heavy fire on the rear porch as residents were evacuating.
• Two people were found dead inside during firefighting operations, according to officials.
• The victims were transported to the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in Augusta for autopsies to confirm identities and determine causes of death.
• The American Red Cross is assisting displaced tenants, and authorities provided contact numbers for Portland police and the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office for any information or video.