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A powerful propane blast razed a newly renovated building housing a non-profit organization after teams arrived to investigate the smell of gas Monday morning, making a death and firefighter injuring at least six other people, have announced officials. The building was evacuated after the gas was detected, said Farmington Town manager Scott Landry.
A firefighter was killed, said Farmington police in a statement. Police first announced that seven people had been injured in the explosion, and then reduced that number to six.
Among the injured were four firefighters, a paramedic and an employee of the non-profit association, the police said. Their conditions were not known immediately.
The building was recently renovated and expanded, the police said. It housed LEAP Inc., which serves people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities. a hole is all that remains.
"It's a war zone – it's just a mess," Landry said. "The building is gone."
The blast around 8:30 was heard for miles and was strong enough to cross a vehicle at an intersection. Paper, insulation and construction debris have rained in the area.
Several businesses nearby have closed. Kim Hilton, who works at the admissions department of the University of Maine at Farmington, said the blast had occurred at scary times.
"It was as if someone had hit our building with a vehicle," she said. Governor Janet Mills says on Twitter that she was monitoring the situation and that the Office of the Fire Marshal would investigate.
"Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragedy, especially the loved ones of the lost firefighter and others injured," she wrote. The two-storey building, measuring 40 feet by 60 feet, which served as LEAP's administrative office, was inaugurated eight to ten weeks ago and was not yet fully staffed, M said. Landry.
The smell of gas was detected and the building evacuated before most of the workers arrived for the day, he said. Farmington is about 70 miles north of Portland.
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