One firefighter is dead and 6 other people injured at a LEAP (Life Enrichment Advancing People) facility, according to CNN.
What We Know:
***Language Alert***
There’s been a huge explosion in Farmington, Maine on Route 2. This video was taken from @jenay_d showing the scene #7News pic.twitter.com/HrWiIBhSqX— Juliana Mazza (@julianamazzatv) September 16, 2019
- LEAP is a group that helps people with intellectual disabilities.
- Farmington Police Chief Jack Peck confirmed that the firefighters went to the facility to check out a gas smell after 8 p.m. The building exploded when they arrived, multiple homes in the area were destroyed alongside the facility. Peck stated that this was an “unfortunate, tragic accident.”
Photos here show the explosion aftermath in Farmington @wgme
📸: Jacob Gage pic.twitter.com/a1lnzR9n2T
— Katie Sampson (@KatieWGME) September 16, 2019
- It has been determined that the explosion was caused by a natural gas leak.
- Four firefighters, an ambulance worker, and an employee of the building were injured in the blast.
- Governor Janet Mills stated statewide flags will be flown at half-staff out of respect for the firefighter who lost his life.
I have directed that the United States and State of Maine flags be flown at half-staff statewide immediately through sunset on September 18, 2019 in honor of the Farmington firefighter who lost his life and those who were injured in today’s explosion. pic.twitter.com/fdWgC0k2sL
— Governor Janet Mills (@GovJanetMills) September 16, 2019
One Farmington resident stated he was lying in bed when his building “shook with a thunderous boom” this led to his home losing power.
