SEARSMONT, Maine -- Investigators have conducted more than 150 interviews into the May 15 fire and explosion at Robbins Lumber that killed one firefighter and injured 12 others. Eight of the 12 injured were first responders.
Teams of experts have descended onto Searsmont trying to determine the cause of the fire and subsequent explosion. Drone footage from NewsCenter Maine provides a look at the devastation.
In addition to fire investigators from the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal, federal investigators have also arrived into the town. Deputy Chief Joel Davis said that due to the size of the incident, they requested assistance from federal investigators, and he says 30 representatives from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) have made their way to Searsmont.
During a Tuesday press briefing, Shawn Esler, the state’s fire marshal, described the investigation as “very active and complex,” The fire’s precise cause remains undetermined, and he declined to provide a timeline or answer specific questions about the emergency response.
Davis said that he hoped to have the investigation "wrapped up in days, but wherever it leads us, we’ll take it from there.”
Davis provided a closer look at their investigative procedures.
“Today," he said, " investigators are using heavy equipment to remove the remains of a large piece of metal in the area of where the silo is so they can get in under where the incident happened. And they’re operating at this time at the scene doing that.
"To date, investigators have conducted more than 150 interviews and they continue to seek leads of other people to be interviewed through those interviews they’ve conducted. And just so you know, they’re sifting through debris during this whole time, trying to locate items to analyze and to figure out what they may have for a relationship to the fire. Tomorrow, we plan on bringing in some large cranes. You’ll see those in the area. That’s to try to remove the remains of the silo that is at the seat of the incident. And they will be working to get in under that where the silo lays to try to figure out what’s left and what we can gain from the debris underneath. And the investigators will continue processing the scene carefully, methodically, and safely,” Davis said.
In addition to the in-person interviews, the investigators have focused heavily on scene documentation, evidence preservation, aerial mapping, and ongoing witness interviews. Multiple interviews conducted during the last operational period continue to help investigators better understand the sequence of events surrounding the fire and subsequent explosion.
Investigators also examined similar mill infrastructure and electrical systems to understand the facility layout and operational processes better.
Investigators continue to work closely with Robbins Lumber's administration to support the ongoing investigation and, where appropriate, safely restore portions of the facility. Robbins Lumber has fully cooperated with investigators throughout the process. At this time, portions of the mill can continue operating safely without interfering with investigative operations.
Searsmont, Belmont, and Appleton Fire Departments sustained damage to their fire apparatus during the incident, affecting frontline emergency response capabilities. Mutual aid partners continue to help maintain emergency coverage for the affected communities.
There was also an update on the deceased fire fighter, Andrew Cross, as well as others who were injured. In this video from Liberty Fire & Rescue, taken at the scene of the incident at Robbins Lumber, every individual present halted their activities and united to facilitate the beginning of the fallen firefighter's transportation to Augusta.
Names of the injured were also released, and they are:
Searsmont Fire
- Searsmont Fire Chief James Ames – Released
- Assistant Chief Wayne Woodbury – MaineHealth Maine Medical Center
Searsmont EMS
- Searsmont EMS Chief Sarah Tompkins – MaineHealth Maine Medical Center
- Liliane Robbins- Massachusetts General Hospital
Belmont Fire
- Katherine Paige- MaineHealth Maine Medical Center
Montville Fire
- Jacob Spaulding- MaineHealth Maine Medical Center
Lincolnville Fire
- Aaron Heald- Released
Appleton Fire
- Chief Clifton Marriner - Released
Mill Employees
- Alden Robbins – Massachusetts General Hospital
- James Robbins – Massachusetts General Hospital
- Thomas Wolf – MaineHealth Maine Medical Center
- John Ward- Released
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