A 27-year-old firefighter has died and at least 11 others were injured following a fire and explosion at a historic lumber mill in Searsmont, Maine. The victim was identified as Morrill firefighter Andrew Cross, who was found dead at the scene on Friday.
A memorial of flowers was placed outside the Morrill Volunteer Fire Department in his honour. First responders and community members lined roads on Saturday as Cross's remains were escorted from Augusta to a funeral home in Belfast, passing through Morrill so residents could pay their respects.
Ten patients were transferred to MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland, a Level 1 trauma centre located 95 miles from Searsmont. Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor was treating one patient in critical condition. Those injured include firefighters and civilians in serious or critical condition, authorities said. A number of fire trucks were also damaged or destroyed during the response, though no mill employees were hurt.
Crews were called to the mill around 10:05 a.m. for a fire in a silo. While firefighters worked to control it, an explosion occurred, spreading the fire to multiple buildings. Two dozen fire departments responded, and the blaze was contained by Friday evening. The cause remains under investigation by the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Robbins Lumber, a family-owned business operating since 1881, remains closed for the foreseeable future. Family spokesperson Christian Halsted described the incident as a “hugely devastating day for the family.” The tragedy highlights Maine's reliance on the lumber industry, which contributed over $8 billion to the state economy in 2024 and supports around 29,000 jobs.
