Overview
- A silo at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont exploded during a fire on Friday, May 15, killing 27-year-old volunteer firefighter Andrew Cross and injuring more than a dozen other people, including firefighters and mill employees.
- Federal investigators from the ATF and state fire marshal’s office remain on site this week mapping debris, interviewing witnesses, and working with OSHA and environmental officials but have not yet determined a definitive cause.
- Experts explain that fine wood shavings and sawdust can form combustible dust that ignites when mixed with air and a spark, producing flash fires and pressure waves inside confined silos that can trigger secondary explosions.
- The blast highlighted rural gaps in equipment and training because many volunteer departments lack access to specialized suppression tools such as inert-gas injectors and duct spark-detection systems used to fight silo fires safely.
- The explosion has produced a wide community response with mutual aid from 30-plus towns, fundraising for victims, and a company pledge to keep paying workers while parts of the mill remain closed pending clearance, with possible regulatory and safety changes to follow.