A terrifying explosion ripped through a Maine lumber mill Friday morning, triggering a massive fireball and forcing officials to declare a “mass casualty event” as emergency crews scrambled to rescue the injured and contain the chaos.
The blast erupted around 11 a.m. at Robbins Lumber mill in the small town of Searsmont, roughly 90 miles from Portland, sending thick black smoke pouring into the sky that could reportedly be seen for miles.
At least five people were injured in the disaster, including one victim who was said to be in critical condition.
“We have dumped all of the resources from the whole county over to that area,” Waldo County 911 director Mike Larrivee said as the horrifying scene unfolded.
Despite the alarming “mass casualty” designation, officials said it does not necessarily mean people were killed. Instead, the term was used because local emergency services feared the number of injured victims could overwhelm nearby hospitals and first responders.
Shocking video and photos from the scene showed giant flames tearing through the sprawling lumber facility as smoke billowed high above the treeline. Residents were urged to stay away while roads around the mill were shut down.
Miraculously, company officials said all employees inside the affected section of the mill were accounted for.
Catherine Robbins-Halsted, president of Robbins Lumber East Baldwin, said only two workers are typically assigned to the area where the explosion happened.
Even after firefighters appeared to get the flames under control about two hours later, witnesses reported hearing additional explosions coming from inside the damaged facility.
A fire chief from nearby Augusta said one badly burned victim had to be rushed to a hospital there because medical centers closer to the scene were already overloaded with patients. Another injured person reportedly drove themselves to the hospital for treatment.
The critically injured victim was later transferred to Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor, while details about the other victims remained unclear Friday afternoon.
Crews from multiple nearby towns, including Camden and Thomaston, raced to help battle the inferno. At least one firefighting helicopter was deployed overhead as investigators from the Maine Fire Marshal’s Office headed to the scene to determine what caused the devastating blast.
The American Red Cross also mobilized disaster teams to support exhausted first responders with food, water, blankets, and emergency supplies.
Maine Gov. Janet Mills urged residents to avoid the area and allow emergency workers to do their jobs.
“I ask Maine people to join me in keeping all those affected in their thoughts,” the governor said in a statement.
The mill, a fifth-generation family-owned business, employs around 115 workers at the Searsmont location and is considered one of Maine’s major lumber manufacturers.
The shocking disaster has rattled the tight-knit community, especially since the mill is well-known throughout the state and frequently visited by Maine politicians and business leaders.
Sen. Angus King, who said he has visited the mill many times over the years, called the explosion heartbreaking.
“My heart goes out to Jim Robbins and his family, the workers, and the Searsmont community,” the senator said.
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