Bangor, Maine News Update: October 9, 2018

Bangor Police say a report of an alleged abduction was actually a 77-year-old woman in a white van who was asking for directions from a person who was holding a child. But the bystander who reported the incident also posted about it on Facebook and the post went viral, shared more than 1000 times. Police say people should be wary about believing what they read on Facebook.

Fire has destroyed a home on the Dickey Hill Road in Monroe. A passerby saw flames coming through the roof of the house and called 911. No one was hurt in the blaze and the state fire marshal’s office has been called in to investigate how it started.

It’s National Fire Prevention Week, and so the Bangor Fire Department has offered some tips to help Mainers to plan ahead and stay safe. Officials say the best way to protect your family is to have working smoke detectors, have an escape plan that includes two ways out of every room, and practice it regularly.

Two organizations in Winslow are teaming up to offer free self-defense classes to women in Winslow this weekend. The Get Filthy Foundation and the Power in Numbers Foundation will host the classes at Huard’s Martial Arts, with two sessions being offered, at 1 and another at 3:30.

A blood drive will be held on Friday at Quirk Chevrolet in Bangor, in memory of Michael Quirk. During his hospital stay, the Quirk family realized how important the availability of blood and blood products are in time of need, so they decided to host the blood drive that will run from one o’clock til seven. Find more information on the Quirk Auto website.