A lumber mill in Maine exploded and burst into flames Friday – as authorities declared the terrifying situation a “mass casualty event.”
At least five people have been injured – with one in critical condition – after an inferno erupted at Robbins Lumber mill in Searsmont, about 90 miles from Portland, at around 11 a.m.
“We have dumped all of the resources from the whole county over to that area,” Waldo County 911 director Mike Larrivee said Friday afternoon, according to local news outlet WMTW.
Officials declared the incident a “mass casualty event” not because there were any deaths, but because there are believed to be more victims than local authorities are equipped to handle, the outlet reported.
Nearby roads were reportedly closed as authorities urged residents to avoid the area.
Horrifying photos and video footage show giant, thick plumes of smoke billowing from the blazing mill – where, miraculously, no employees were injured and all are accounted for, according to Catherine Robbins-Halsted, President of Robbins Lumber East Baldwin.
She said that typically two people work in the affected area.
The fire, which caused significant structural damage to the sprawling facility, appeared to be contained about two hours after it began, Robbins-Halsted said, per WMTV.
But local reporter Jacob Murphy reported hearing additional explosions at the scene at 1:45 p.m., the outlet reported.
A fire department chief from the nearby city of Augusta told the outlet that a member of their ambulance crew located one patient with burns sustained in the incident and transported them to a hospital in Augusta – as medical facilities in Searsmont were already busy with other patients.
A second victim drove themselves to a hospital in Augusta, the chief told the outlet.
The patient in critical condition was reportedly being treated at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor. The remaining victims’ injuries and whereabouts weren’t immediately known.
Flame-jumpers from nearby areas, including Camden and Thomaston, were sent to battle the blaze, at least one firefighting helicopter was dispatched, and the Maine Fire Marshall’s Office said it was sending investigators to the mill.
The origin of the blast wasn’t immediately clear.
Ten trained responders from the state’s Red Cross disaster action team were also en route to the scene Friday afternoon.
The Red Cross said it would serve in a supportive capacity, ensuring first responders have the resources – including water, food, blankets and cots – to continue fighting the fire.
Maine Governor Janet Mills urged residents to “stay clear of the area, follow the instructions of law enforcement and allow emergency personnel to respond.
“I ask Maine people to join me in keeping all those affected in their thoughts,” she wrote in a statement.
The mill – which is part of a family-owned business that’s been passed down five generations – is described as a “high-tech lumber manufacturer” with around 115 employees, and another 100 spread out at other locations across the state.
It’s apparently a popular spot among Pine Tree State politicians, with Maine Sen. and governor hopeful Rick Bennett announcing policy plans from the mill just last week.
In a statement about the explosion, Sen. Angus King said he’s “visited this mill frequently and my heart goes out to Jim Robbins and his family, the workers, and the Searsmont community.
“For your safety and the well-being of our wider Maine community, please follow the guidance of local emergency personnel,” he said in a statement.
