A propane explosion leveled new construction that houses a nonprofit after crews arrived to investigate the smell of gas Monday morning, killing one firefighter and injuring at least six others, officials said.
The building had been evacuated after the smell of gas was detected, said Farmington Town Selectman Scott Landry. One firefighter was killed, and six others were taken to a hospital, he said.
The conditions of the injured firefighters weren’t immediately known.
The building housing Leap Inc., which serves people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities, was only a couple of weeks old, Landry said. A hole is all that is left.
“The new building is spread all over creation,” Landry said.
The blast around 8:30 a.m. was heard for miles around. Video shows debris raining down on homes and buildings in the neighborhood. Several nearby businesses have closed.
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Kim Hilton, who works in the admissions department at the nearby University of Maine at Farmington, said there were scary moments when the blast occurred.
“It felt like someone hit our building with a vehicle,” she said.
Gov. Janet Mills said on Twitter that she was monitoring the situation and that the State Fire Marshal’s Office will investigate.
“Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this tragedy, especially to the loved ones of the firefighter lost and others injured,” she wrote.
Farmington is about 70 miles north of Portland.
Wow….photos of the explosion in Farmington from Jacob Gage pic.twitter.com/ifBpHYaAau
— Cristina Frank (@CristinaWMTW) September 16, 2019
BREAKING: One firefighter has died & several others injured in an explosion in Farmington, Maine. Officials were checking out a complaint of a propane smell when the explosion happened. The building provides services for people w/ intellectual & developmental disabilities #7news pic.twitter.com/xqrweNxmNb
— Amaka Ubaka (@AmakaUbakaTV) September 16, 2019
U/D: (OOA) Farmington, ME *FATAL GAS EXPLOSION* 313 Farmington Falls Rd (Rte 2) – Major building collapse with fire after a gas explosion, 1 FF killed and others injured – 9/16 – 09:45 pic.twitter.com/3zC983ns77
— Rockingham Alerts (@RockinghamAlert) September 16, 2019
#BREAKING: One firefighter is dead and six others were rushed to a nearby hospital after an explosion in Farmington. https://t.co/nJ2DNoOWKQ #NEWSCENTERmaine pic.twitter.com/40sBB6PKIF
— Zach Blanchard (@ZachBlanchard) September 16, 2019
Photos here show the explosion aftermath in Farmington @wgme
📸: Jacob Gage pic.twitter.com/a1lnzR9n2T
— Katie Sampson (@KatieWGME) September 16, 2019
(AP)
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