An explosion at a Maine lumber mill injured multiple firefighters Friday and set off a mass casualty response across Waldo County.

At least five people sustained injuries in the blast at Robbins Lumber Inc., located at 506 Main Street South in Searsmont, according to WGME. Mike Larravie, communications director for Waldo County 911, told the outlet the full extent of injuries had not been determined.

The blast left several firefighters with severe burns after their equipment caught fire, the Portland Press Herald reported. Kennebunk Fire and Rescue posted to social media around 12:30 p.m. Friday, “Our thoughts and prayers are with all the members at this incident. A large explosion occurred, significantly burning numerous firefighters and lighting their apparatus on fire.” (RELATED: Massive Fire Breaks Out At Texas Oil Refinery After Reported Explosion)

A critical patient from the incident was being treated at the Bangor-based Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, hospital spokesperson Chris Facchini told the Portland Press Herald.

#DEVELOPING: Officials say there is a mass casualty response underway in Searsmont after an explosion and massive fire.

DETAILS: https://t.co/Kk7gZa5Ji7 pic.twitter.com/mqPz3XwAW5

— CBS 13 News (@WGME) May 15, 2026

Workers had been bagging wood shavings into plastic when the fire broke out, Bangor Daily News (BDN) reporting indicated, citing purchasing manager Ben Hamel. A Maine State Police trooper at the scene warned bystanders about a major fuel leak on the property and told them to either go inside neighboring buildings or move further away, the outlet reported.

Robbins Lumber co-owner, Catherine Robbins-Halsted, offered an update on her workforce and credit to firefighters. “All employees – the most important thing — I am so thankful for — are accounted for. Buildings can be replaced, employees cannot, and the fire department has done a tremendous job, and I thank them for everything that they have done,” Robbins-Halsted told WGME.

Investigators with the state fire marshal’s office were on scene to determine what triggered the blast, the BDN reported. The mill itself has been a Robbins family operation for generations, working timber from across roughly 30,000 acres of company-owned land and a network of independent log suppliers numbering over 150.