Maine communities mourn the 27-year-old firefighter killed in a lumber mill explosion
MORRILL, Maine (AP) — A 27-year-old firefighter killed in a huge fire and explosion at a lumber mill in Maine's midcoast region was being honored Saturday, a day after the incident that injured at least 11 others.
A memorial of flowers dedicated to Andrew Cross was left outside of the Morrill Volunteer Fire Department. First responders and other community members lined a highway and local roads Saturday to honor Cross as his remains were escorted about 46 miles (74 kilometers) east from Augusta to a funeral home in Belfast, Maine. The procession was routed to pass through Morrill to allow residents to pay their respects, the fire department said on Facebook.
Roughly two dozen fire departments had responded to the massive flames that tore through a silo at Robbins Lumber in a rural area, according to the state fire marshal's office.
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, which has a Level 1 trauma designation, said Friday it was treating 10 patients who were transferred from local hospitals. Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor had been treating one patient who was in critical condition but that patient was transferred to another facility, a spokesperson said in an email.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Robbins Lumber’s website describes the company as a “high-tech lumber manufacturer” that has been in existence since 1881 and family-owned for five generations. The mill in Searsmont, a town of about 1,500 people about 95 miles (150 kilometers) from Portland, will not be operating in the near future.
Christian Halsted, a family spokesperson, said the fire was a “hugely devastating day for the family” and they were cooperating with authorities on the investigation.
Lumber and wood products are a critical and historic industry in Maine. The Maine Forest Products Council said it contributed more than $8 billion to the state's economy in 2024 and provides about 29,000 jobs.
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