WINTHROP (NEWS CENTER Maine) — A Maine state representative from Winthrop was seriously burned Tuesday, July 10, when he was attempting to start a brush pile fire on his property.
Fire Investigators say Craig Hickman poured a small amount of gasoline on a brush pile and then lit a cardboard egg carton and placed it on the pile when the vapors from the fuel exploded.
Hickman was burned on his legs and chest and was taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston and later flown by the Life Flight to Maine Medical in Portland.
Officials say the fire took place about 9:30 a.m. behind Hickman’s home on Annabessacook Road.
After being injured, a friend of Hickman attempted to drive him to the Augusta hospital but they stopped at the new Winthrop Fire Station and called for help.
Hickman is a Democratic politician who was elected to the Maine House of Representatives in 2012 as a representative for Maine's 82nd district. He is also a writer and a farmer. In 2012, he campaigned to end hunger in the state and reduce regulations facing small farms and businesses. Investing in sustainable energy was another tenant of his campaign.