Man found burned near restaurant fire succumbs to injuries

Staff reports 2:26 a.m.


Man found burned near restaurant fire succumbs to injuries

The restaurant suffered only minor damage (Courtesy photo)

DOVER - The man Dover Police and Fire found seriously burned upon responding to a fire at the Strafford Farms restaurant early Saturday has died.

Richard Romonoski, 49, of Berwick, Maine, died at Massachusetts General Hospital on Monday, according to a joint statement released Tuesday night by state Fire Marshal Paul Parisi, Dover Fire Chief Eric Hagman and Dover Police Chief William Breault.

Police said Romonoski was transported to Wentworth Douglass Hospital and later to the Boston hospital.

Dover Fire was able to quickly extinguish the blaze, which caused only minor damage to the exterior of the building.

The investigation concluded that the fire was an "isolated incident involving only Mr. Romonoski" and the cause of the fire has been ruled "incendiary," the release stated.

No criminal charges will be forthcoming, officials say.