Local news
Maine Fire Chief Sean Isler said the investigation into the cause of the explosion may not provide immediate answers.
This image from a video provided by Tiffany Mannarini shows a plume of smoke from a large fire at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, Maine, Friday, May 15, 2026. (Tiffany Mannarini via AP)
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A firefighter was killed in a massive fire and explosion at a lumber mill in Maine’s Central Coast that injured at least 11 other people Friday, authorities said.
State officials said Friday that the firefighter was found dead at the plant. The firefighter was part of a massive emergency response to fires that broke out in the Robbins Lumber District in rural Maine when a silo exploded, authorities said.
Maine Fire Chief Sean Isler said the investigation into the cause of the explosion may not provide immediate answers.
Maine Health Maine Medical Center in Portland, which has a Level 1 trauma designation, said it was treating 10 patients transferred from local hospitals. A spokesman for Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor said it was treating a patient in critical condition.
The plant is located in Searsmont, a town of about 1,500 people about 95 miles (153 kilometers) from Portland.
State and local emergency responders assisted while fire departments worked for hours to contain the flames.
“We threw all the resources from the entire county into that area,” Waldo County 911 Director Mike Larivee said.
The Robbins Lumber website describes the company as a “high-tech lumber manufacturer” that has been around since 1881 and family-owned for five generations.
Family spokesman Christian Halstead said the fire had been a “very devastating day for the family” and that the factory would not be operating in the near future. He added that the family is cooperating with the authorities in the investigation.
Lumber and wood products are an important and historic industry in Maine. The Maine Forest Products Council said the industry contributed more than $8 billion to the state’s economy in 2024 and provides about 29,000 jobs.
Officials, including Gov. Janet Mills, said Friday they were monitoring the response to the fire.
“I urge people to stay away from the area, follow law enforcement instructions, and allow emergency personnel to respond. I ask Maine residents to join me in keeping all those affected in their thoughts,” Mills posted on X.
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Ramer reported from Concord, NH