FRYEBURG — A man, who officials at first feared died in a fire, was found alive by a Maine warden not far from his destroyed Highland Park Road home Friday afternoon.

Investigators from the State Fire Marshal’s Office first believed that Dana Hatch, 58, may have died in the blaze that destroyed his home, according to Department of Public Safety Spokesman Stephen McCausland.

Most of the building had burned and collapsed into the basement. Hatch’s truck was still in his yard. And Hatch’s family had not heard from him after the blaze, so the worst was feared, McCausland said.

Investigators used an excavator to search through the rubble. When they did not find Hatch’s body, they launched a manhunt of the nearby area.

Maine wardens and officers from the Fryeburg Police Department helped with that search, McCausland said.

McCausland received word from investigators at about 2:35 p.m. Friday that Hatch was alive and apparently had not sustained any fire-related injuries. His injuries appeared to be cuts and scrapes received while walking through the woods.

“We intend to question him as to what he knows about the fire, why he was where he was or how he ended up there,” McCausland said. The fire remained under investigation and is deemed suspicious by investigators, he said.

On April 16, Hatch was arrested and charged with reckless conduct with a dangerous weapon and criminal threatening. He was bailed on $500. The charge is still pending.

Earlier on Friday, McCausland issued a news release saying the Fire Marshal’s Office was investigating the cause of a fire that destroyed the home at 254 Highland Park Road.

“A team of state fire investigators are at the scene trying to determine the cause and locate the victim,” it stated. “Most of the two-story house has fallen into the basement and an excavator is being used to dig through the rubble.”

sthistle@sunjournal.com