Jan. 17—A Penobscot County man died after getting stuck under his house while checking on frozen pipes, according to police.
The 73-year-old Newburgh man was reported missing Thursday evening by family members who were unable to find him at the house where he lived alone. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary, but there was evidence that the man may have been missing for several days, according to the Penobscot County Sheriff’s Office.
During a search of the property, deputies discovered a small shed built along the house and decided to search it even though the door was secured from the outside. Inside, they found the man, who appeared to have died because of the cold conditions, police said.
“It appeared as though the man entered the shed to reach frozen pipes. The shed door closed and latched trapping the man inside,” police said in a statement. “Due to his mobility issues, it appears the man was unable to get out of the shed or out from under the home.”
Police did not release the man’s name.
The sheriff’s office is encouraging people to check on their neighbors and reach out for help if they are having heating issues in their homes.
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