A horrific explosion and fire at a Maine lumber mill has left one firefighter dead and seriously injured several others.

According to the Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office, the incident occurred at the Robbins Lumber mill in Searsmont when a burning silo exploded.

At least 11 people were injured.

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NEWS CENTER Maine shared further:

The firefighter was found dead at the scene of the fire, Moss said. The body is being taken to the medical examiner’s office in Augusta for an autopsy and to confirm an identity.

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Moss said several fire departments responded to a reported fire at one of the silos at the lumber mill around 10 a.m. Friday. As firefighters worked to put out the silo fire, an explosion occurred, according to Moss.

Officials said more information on the victims will be forthcoming as families are notified and identities are confirmed.

As of 7 p.m., the fire is contained, but firefighters are still working to fully extinguish it.

The Maine State Fire Marshal is investigating the cause of the fire.

All employees at the mill have been accounted for, according to Catherine Robbins-Halstead, a co-owner and vice president of admin at Robbins Lumber.

“I have been briefed on the situation unfolding in Searsmont. I urge folks 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,” Maine Gov. Janet Mills said.

“This afternoon, I visited Searsmont to thank the first responders on scene at Robbins Lumber. For five generations, Robbins Lumber has been a cornerstone of the community and a mainstay of the forest products industry,” Mills later said.

“I told the Robbins family that Maine people will have their back as they face the challenge ahead. I ask Maine people to keep the Robbins family, their employees, first responders, and the people of Searsmont and Waldo County in their thoughts and prayers,” she added.

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Maine State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler said during a news conference that it was mostly volunteer firefighters battling the blaze.

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“I walked up to this very chaotic scene initially, and not because of the efforts of the first responders, but because of the magnitude of the fire involvement and the amount of sheer buildings that were on fire, faced with the limited resources the fire departments had,” Esler said. “… I saw everybody working hand-in-hand to pull hose lines, to move apparatus, and to put water on the fire. I also saw members from state police, forest service and a bunch of various state agencies lending a hand wherever they could.”

Camden Fire & Rescue confirmed it has a crew providing assistance.

“Our thoughts are with the injured, medical professionals providing care and first responders working to control the situation,” the department wrote in a statement on Facebook. “We anticipate having personnel committed to helping for several days.”

Ben Hamel, the mill’s purchasing manager, told the Bangor Daily News that the fire started in an area where wood shavings are packaged. The fire then spread to a nearby dust silo, which exploded.

The cause of the fire has not yet been released.

A trooper at the scene told bystanders there was a “major fuel leak” and urged them to move away from the area, according to the outlet.

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