State fire investigators rushed to the scene of a serious incident Friday at Robbins Lumber in Searsmont, Maine, according to the Maine Department of Public Safety.
The fire marshal's office was called to the facility on Main Street and crews are actively responding to the scene. A resident named Tiffany Mannarini captured video of enormous flames rising from the mill and shared the footage, saying that she recorded it all the way from Appleton Ridge, giving a sense of just how large the blaze was.
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Governor issues warning as smoke plume reaches 4,000 feet
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Governor issues warning as smoke plume reaches 4,000 feet
{{/usCountry}}Maine Governor Janet Mills addressed the situation in a social media post just before noon on Friday. "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," she said.
Live radar around the same time showed a visible smoke plume rising high over the area. NEWS CENTER Maine meteorologists confirmed the top of the plume was reaching approximately 4,000 feet into the air which is a clear sign of the fire's enormous intensity.
According to CBS 13 reports, emergency dispatchers treated the incident as a possible “mass casualty event” and called for extra help from nearby emergency departments.
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About Robbins Lumber
Robbins Lumber is one of the most significant timber operations in the region. According to the company's website, it owns and manages 30,000 acres of its own forests and purchases logs from more than 150 independent loggers. Its milling facility sits on a 40-acre site in Searsmont and includes a co-generation plant, kilns with a 675,000 board foot capacity, a computerized sawmill, planing mills, a cut-up shop, 70,000 square feet of warehouse space, and the company's main offices.
The cause of the incident has not yet been confirmed. Authorities continue to urge the public to stay away from the area.