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Neighbor urges action after fire leaves debris, health hazards at Lyons property
Summary
A resident told the Trenton Select Board that debris and unsafe conditions remain at a house fire site, posing risks to children and nearby Union River Bay; the board agreed to have the Code Enforcement Officer and the health officer inspect the property and explore community cleanup options.
Christina Buzzell told the Trenton Select Board on May 26 that debris from a December 2025 house fire at a neighboring property owned by Ed Lyons is creating "health, safety and environmental hazards" near Union River Bay and is depressing neighboring property values.
"There is no running water, no working outhouse, and an open well covered only with sticks," Buzzell said, urging the board to address immediate safety risks. She said she has filed an EPA report with assistance from a friend.
Lyons, who spoke to the board, said the parcel is held in a trust with about $200 remaining and that the trustee lives in Arizona. He said he lost everything in the fire and lacks resources to fund cleanup or to pursue litigation against the trustee, which he said would require Arizona courts.
Tamaraleigh and Chaser Grenfell of Acadia Action mutual aid offered to organize a community cleanup and suggested the town could help by coordinating donations for dump allotments; Buzzell cited a similar successful effort in Southwest Harbor. The Grenfells noted that each household receives an annual 2,000-pound allotment for debris disposal.
Board members said they would follow up. The board agreed to check whether Code Enforcement Officer Angie Chamberlain has inspected the site; if not, the board said Chamberlain and Health Officer John Bennett will plan an inspection. The board did not vote to authorize town-funded cleanup at the meeting.
The board flagged possible next steps: an inspection by town officials to document hazards and, depending on findings and the limits of local authority, coordination with community groups to conduct a volunteer cleanup and seek donated disposal allotments.
