20 Jan WCME Midcoast News January 20

Suspended

Freeport town manager Peter Joseph confirms that fire chief Darrel Fournier has served a two-day suspension after town officials determined that the chief’s part-time job with a fire restoration company might have created the appearance of a conflict of interest. The company, Paul Davis Restorations, is a national firm performing cleanup work in hte aftermaht of fires and other emergencies. Fournier was hired to market the company’s services, but has now resigned. However he remains under investigation by the Maine Fire Chiefs Association.

Fire Under Investigation

Firefighters in Rockland are probing the cause of a fire at the historic Thorndike Building in the downtown area, where an apartment and printing company were damaged. There were no injuries, but residents were evacuated. Work being done outside of the building may have been a factor in the origin of the fire.

Windfall

Signs of a financial windfall across New England as a result of rapidly falling heating oil prices. Industry analysts say families using oil to heat their homes can expect average savings of up to 1500 dollars this year from lower heating oil and gasoline prices. The price of heating oil tracks closely with the price of crude.