On Friday, May 16, 2026, an explosion and fire tore through Robbins Lumber, a family-owned mill that has operated in Searsmont, Maine for more than 140 years. Andrew Cross, a 27-year-old volunteer firefighter with the Morrill Fire Department, was killed while responding. Eleven others were injured — two of them critically, currently receiving care at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.

The cause of the explosion has not yet been determined. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) National Response Team has joined the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal to investigate what happened. That investigation is expected to continue throughout the week.

A community of 1,500 people has lost a young first responder. Families of the injured are waiting for answers. Workers who survived the blast deserve to know what happened — and whether it could have been prevented.

Maine's fire marshal's office said it plainly: "We owe the people of Maine a thorough, professional, and methodical investigation." We are calling on the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal, the ATF, and OSHA to honor that commitment — and to release the investigation's findings publicly. If workplace safety violations contributed to this explosion, those responsible must be held accountable. If equipment failures or systemic safety gaps played a role, those findings must lead to concrete changes that prevent the next tragedy.

Sign to demand full public accountability for the Robbins Lumber explosion.