Lily Robbins returns home following deadly Robbins Lumber mill explosion

Lily Robbins, a local EMT who was injured during the Robbins Lumber mill explosion in Searsmont, Maine, is returning home this week after five months of treatment at Massachusetts General Hospital’s burn unit.

The May 15 disaster occurred when a fire in a silo containing wood shavings and sawdust led to a massive explosion. A federal investigation determined that the silo's fire suppression system failed to activate because temperatures had not reached the necessary trigger point. When firefighters attempted to extinguish the fire by pouring water into the silo, the action inadvertently added oxygen to an explosive mixture of suspended dust, causing the blast.

The incident resulted in multiple fatalities, including two firefighters, Andrew Cross and Wayne Woodbury. Alden J. Robbins, co-owner of the mill and Lily’s father, also passed away in July after battling injuries sustained in the blast. The community of Searsmont is organizing a welcome for Robbins at the local fire station.