Maine

Lawsuits Over Deadly Maine Propane Blast Are Settled

The propane blast on Sept. 16, 2019, killed 68-year-old Fire Capt. Michael Bell and injured his brother and five other firefighters, along with the building’s maintenance supervisor

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Two lawsuits filed in the aftermath of a thunderous propane explosion in Farmington, Maine, that killed a firefighter and injured others have been settled.

A court document filed this week indicates a lawsuit against two companies on behalf of the deceased firefighter and six injured firefighters was resolved, the Sun Journal reported.

Another lawsuit brought by the maintenance worker who evacuated the structure before the explosion was settled months ago, the newspaper said.

The propane blast on Sept. 16, 2019, killed 68-year-old Fire Capt. Michael Bell and injured his brother, Fire Chief Terry Bell, and five other firefighters, along with Larry Lord, the building’s maintenance supervisor.

A propane line that was severed during construction caused a deadly explosion in Farmington, Maine.

An investigation revealed that a company that was setting posts in the parking lot severed an underground propane line, allowing the gas to permeate the building over the course of several days.

The lawsuits blamed C.N. Brown Co. of South Paris and Techno Metal Post Maine of Manchester for the explosion.

Attorneys didn’t divulge the terms of the settlements.

Lord was credited with getting all the employees from Life Enrichment Advancing People Inc., or LEAP, out of the building before the explosion occurred while he and firefighters investigate the leak.

Lord was burned over 85% of his body and spent more than six months in hospitals and rehabilitation centers in Massachusetts.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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