Firefighter killed, several injured in Maine lumber mill explosion

A fire and explosion at a lumber mill in Maine killed a volunteer firefighter and left several others in critical condition, according to state fire officials and local media reports.

The fire was first reported at about 10:05 a.m. on Friday at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, where firefighters were working to put out a fire in a silo when the explosion happened, according to the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office.

Morrill Volunteer firefighter Andrew Cross was killed in the explosion. Officials did not release a full number of injured firefighters, but two Maine hospitals had previously said they were expecting 11 patients, according to WBTS.

“We continue to keep those fighting for their lives in our thoughts and prayers, along with their families and the medical teams caring for them,” Maine State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler said at a briefing on Tuesday.

Esler said Robbins Lumber, its owners and employees had been “personally impacted” by the explosion and had fully cooperated with investigators. “This remains a very active and complex investigation.”

Deputy Chief Joel Davis, the chief fire investigator for the State Fire Marshal’s Office, said he requested help from ATF on Friday night because of the size and complexity of the scene. ATF personnel arrived by Saturday morning, only hours after the explosion.

Davis said the first focus for investigators on Friday was accountability, including tracking the firefighters who had responded, determining whether anyone was missing and locating injured firefighters at area hospitals.

Investigators also recovered firefighter Cross from the debris and prepared him for a dignified transfer to the medical examiner’s office.

On Saturday, investigators assessed the scene, set up a command post at the Searsmont town office and began planning interviews with firefighters and mill employees. Davis said ATF personnel were briefed on the incident and coordinated assignments, logistics and operational planning with state investigators.

Investigators began examining the scene on Sunday, but high winds created dangerous conditions as materials were blown around the site. Davis said one ATF agent suffered a minor cut from metal roofing that was flying through the area.

Heavy equipment was brought in on Monday to move large metal pieces and structural debris near the area where investigators needed to work. Drones and mapping technology were also used to document firefighting equipment that was left at the scene and damaged or destroyed.

Davis said investigators were using heavy equipment again on Tuesday to remove large pieces of metal near the silo so they could reach the area where the explosion occurred. The cause of the fire and explosion has not been released.