A small town in Maine is in shock after an explosion killed a firefighter and injured several others.
Propane or natural gas may have caused the building explosion in Farmington, moments after a worker told people inside to leave. Firefighters were responding to reports from people inside the building that it smelled like propane when it exploded.
Farmington Police Chief Jack Peck confirmed that four other firefighters, including Fire Chief Terry Bell who is the brother of the firefighter killed, and one LEAP employee were taken to nearby hospitals. Sheriff Scott Nichols was one of the first responders to pull victims from the scene and he says he has not seen destruction like this since he served in the military overseas.
The blast pattern was visible from an aerial view and the building was completely leveled. A school bus that was picking up kids narrowly missed being part of the destruction.
The building is the central office for LEAP, which provides support for people with developmental, cognitive and intellectual disabilities. Killed in the explosion was Captain Michael Bell, a 30 year veteran of the Farmington Fire Department.