Explosion, raging fire reported at Maine lumber mill

Key Points:

• A firefighter died and multiple people were injured, some seriously or critically, after a silo fire exploded at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, Maine, on Friday morning; the fire was contained but not yet extinguished by Friday afternoon.
• Emergency responders from multiple fire departments, along with investigators from the Maine Fire Marshal's Office, ATF, OSHA, and Maine DEP, are conducting an ongoing investigation into the cause of the explosion and fire.
• At least 11 injured individuals were transported to hospitals across Maine, including 10 patients treated at Maine Medical Center in Portland, a Level 1 trauma center, with one patient in critical condition at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
• Robbins Lumber, a family-owned business since 1881 with over 115 employees at the Searsmont mill, suffered significant structural damage; the company’s owner described the day as devastating and announced the mill will not operate this week.
• Maine officials, including Governor Janet Mills and Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, expressed condolences and urged the public to avoid the area, while the Professional Logging Contractors of the Northeast extended support to the victims and the community.