On May 15, a silo at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, Maine, exploded while firefighters were suppressing a blaze, killing 27-year-old firefighter Andrew Cross and seriously injuring several others. Crews had responded at about 10:05 a.m.; victims were transported to hospitals across the state. The main fire has been contained but suppression and a complex investigation into the cause are ongoing. Gov. Janet Mills visited the site and offered support to the family, employees and first responders.
Firefighter Killed, Several Hurt in Silo Explosion at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, Maine
Firefighters work to put out a fire at a mill in Searsmont, Maine, on May 15, 2026Credit: Maine State Fire Marshal/Instagram
One firefighter was killed and several others were hospitalized in serious or critical condition after a silo exploded at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, Maine, on May 15, officials said.
An aerial shot of the fire at a mill in Searsmont, Maine, on May 15, 2026Credit: Maine State Fire Marshal/Instagram
Fire crews from the Searsmont Fire Department and neighboring departments responded at approximately 10:05 a.m. to a report of a fire inside one of the mill’s silos. While crews were conducting fire suppression efforts, the silo unexpectedly exploded, the Office of the Maine State Fire Marshal said.
The fire at a mill in Searsmont, Maine, on May 15, 2026Credit: Maine State Fire Marshal/Instagram
Authorities identified the deceased as Andrew Cross, 27, a firefighter with the Morrill Fire Department. He was found at the scene and his remains were taken to the Maine medical examiner’s office in Augusta for autopsy before being moved to Riposta Funeral Home in Belfast, Maine State Police said.
Smoke from the fire at a mill in Searsmont, Maine, on May 15, 2026Credit: Maine State Fire Marshal/Instagram
Multiple firefighters sustained serious or critical injuries and were transported to hospitals across the state for treatment. Photographs from the scene showed the silo engulfed in flames and thick, dark smoke, with crews from several stations operating large hoses to contain the blaze.
State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler offered condolences: “Our deepest sympathies, thoughts, and prayers are with the firefighter’s family, loved ones, and colleagues during this devastating time.”
The fire marshal’s office said fire departments have contained the main blaze, though suppression efforts were continuing in the aftermath of the explosion. Investigators are examining the cause and origin of the silo fire; officials cautioned the probe may take time because of the complexity of the scene.
Gov. Janet Mills visited the site, met with the Robbins Lumber owners and thanked first responders. In a post on X, she described Robbins Lumber as “a cornerstone of the community and a mainstay of the forest products industry” and asked Mainers to keep the Robbins family, mill employees, first responders and the communities of Searsmont and Waldo County in their thoughts and prayers.
Local and state agencies continue to coordinate emergency response, medical care for the injured and the ongoing investigation into what caused the silo fire and subsequent explosion.
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