Son accused in family’s trailer fire

EDDINGTON – A 19-year-old accused of setting his family’s home on fire Saturday remained behind bars at the Penobscot County Jail on Tuesday.

Bail that would release Michael Poulin from the county jail was set at $500 at his initial court appearance in 3rd District Court in Bangor on Monday. Poulin is being charged with arson. He had not posted bail as of Tuesday night.

Firefighters were called to 1380 Main Road shortly after 10 a.m. Saturday where they found that a fire had started on the living room floor of the doublewide trailer home. The fire had gone out by itself from lack of oxygen, reported Scott Richardson, an investigator with the State Fire Marshal’s Office. Poulin lived in the home with his mother and stepfather.

Richardson and Sgt. Stewart Jacobs investigated the fire and determined that it had been started with a flammable liquid – suspected to be gasoline – poured on the floor and ignited. During an interview, Poulin confessed to starting the fire, police said. Richardson said it wasn’t clear yet what had prompted Poulin to start the fire.

Poulin’s mother and stepfather were out running errands at the time of the fire. When they returned, they found firefighters outside their home.

A date for a probable cause hearing for Poulin has not been set yet, Richardson said.