This update was changed at 3:53 p.m. to correct the spelling of the fire victim's name. Incorrect information was supplied to the newspaper.

2:15 p.m.:

GORHAM – Fire Chief Robert Lefebvre said he is investigating reports that some residents had trouble getting through on 911 to report a fatal fire this morning, but doubts the problem led to delays.

“I’m hearing that there was (a problem) but I can’t verify that at this point,” Lefebvre said in an interview at Friendly Village mobile home park. “The people in this neighborhood have expressed some concern.”

“At this point there’s no reason to believe there was a delay,” Lefebvre said, “but again, I can’t truthfully say that until we check things out.”

Elinor F. Downes, 78, died in the 7 a.m. fire at 81 Evergreen Drive. Lefebvre said she was smoking a cigarette while using oxygen.

Downes lived alone, and a German shepherd she owned was not believed to have been in the home, he said.

Lefebvre said if problems occurred in the 911 system, they may have been caused by the number of people who called. He said many residents of the park were going to work or getting children ready for school at the time of the fire.

“Part of what may have happened here is that they got so many calls,” he said.

However, Cliff Wells, who oversees the Department of Public Safety’s four dispatch centers including the one in Gray, said call takers received only a couple of calls and that all were transferred to Cumberland County dispatchers without a problem and within a few seconds.

The state facility is handling the county’s 911 calls until a computer problem that shut down the county 911 system this weekend is completely diagnosed and repaired.

12:40 p.m.:

GORHAM – Fire Chief Robert Lefebrve said he will be investigating reports that residents had trouble reaching a dispatcher when they made 911 calls to report a fatal fire in a mobile home park this morning.

"I'm hearing that there was (a problem) but I can’t verify that at this point," Lefebvre said in an interview at Friendly Village mobile home park. "The people in this neighborhood have expressed some concern."

Elinor F. Downes, 78, died in the 7 a.m. fire at 81 Evergreen Drive. Lefebvre said she was smoking a cigarette while using oxygen.

Downes lived alone, and a German shepherd she owned was not believed to have been in the home, he said.

Lefebvre said if problems occurred in the 911 system, they may have been caused by the number of people who called. He said many residents of the park were going to work or getting children ready for school at the time of the fire.

"Part of what may have happened here is that they got so many calls," he said.

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