A firefighter was killed and at least 11 people were injured in a fire and explosion Friday at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, Maine.
The victim was identified as Morrill firefighter Andrew Cross, 27, who was found dead at the scene, officials said Saturday.
A memorial of flowers was placed outside the Morrill Volunteer Fire Department in Cross’ honor, the Associated Press reports. First responders and community members lined roads Saturday as Cross’ remains were escorted from Augusta to a funeral home in Belfast, passing through Morrill so residents could pay their respects.
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, a Level 1 trauma center located 95 miles from Searsmont, said Friday it was treating 10 patients transferred from local hospitals, NBC Boston reports. Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, about 50 miles from the mill, was also treating one patient in critical condition, according to a spokesperson.
Those injured are firefighters and civilians in serious or critical condition, authorities said Friday. A number of fire trucks were also damaged or destroyed during the response, though officials say no mill employees were hurt.
Crews were originally called to the historic mill around 10:05 a.m. for a fire in a silo. While firefighters were working to get it under control, an explosion hit the scene and quickly made it worse, spreading the fire into multiple buildings across the site.
Two dozen fire departments responded to the incident, according to Maine Department of Public Safety spokesperson Shannon Moss. Firefighters were able to contain the blaze by Friday evening, though suppression efforts continued afterward. Investigators were also working to notify families and confirm details about those who were injured Friday night.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office.
“We have dumped all of the resources from the whole county over to that area,” Waldo County 911 director Mike Larrivee said Friday, NBC Boston reports.
Robbins Lumber’s website describes the business as a “high-tech lumber manufacturer” that has been in operation since 1881 and has remained family-owned for five generations.
Christian Halsted, a family spokesperson, said the fire was a “hugely devastating day for the family” and confirmed the mill will remain closed for the foreseeable future, per NBC Boston. The family is cooperating with investigators, he added.
The tragic incident comes amid Maine’s long-standing dependence on the lumber and wood products industry, which is a major part of the state’s economy. According to the Maine Forest Products Council, the sector contributed more than $8 billion in 2024 and supports about 29,000 jobs statewide.
The Independent has contacted the fire marshal’s office for comment.
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