BANGOR, Maine — A man who was found dead earlier this month during a fire at a homeless encampment in Bangor has been tentatively identified by state safety officials.
The state fire marshal's office was called to investigate the deadly fire on the night of Nov. 10 after a man's body was recovered from a tent fire at an encampment on Cleaveland Street.
That person has been tentatively identified as 35-year-old Joseph P. Demanuele, Jr. of Bangor, Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss shared Monday in a news release.
No additional information about the incident was released by state officials.
Bangor city officials have been ramping up efforts to close encampments with support from homeless response teams and other community outreach resources.
Brian Moynihan, who works with Community Health and Counseling Services, spoke with NEWS CENTER Maine days after the deadly fire. Moynihan said his outreach team has been working hard to create and maintain relationships with people living in the encampment and feel like they're slowly knocking down barriers that have prevented individuals from finding housing.
"Whether it's getting folks into stable housing, into substance abuse treatment, or even just a shelter for the time," Moynihan said.
Jones and other city officials said at the time that continued cases of violence and safety hazards created by the encampment factored into the city's decision to city to close the encampment.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
