>>>
>>> THE
>>> THE TOWN OF FARMINGTON AND MAINE'S FIREFIGHTING COMMUNITY IS ROCKED BY AN EXPLOSION THAT
CLAIMED THE LIFE OF ONE
FIREFIGHTER AND INJURED SEVERAL
OTHERS.4@
>> GOOD EVENING EVERYBODY, I'M
LEIGH NELSON IN TONIGHT AT
CALLAHAN.4@
AND TRAGEDY IN THE TOWN OF
FARMINGTON.
>>4@ L.E.A.P.
INC., THE BUILDING EXPLODED,
TORN TO SHREDS , SENDING DEBRIS
ABOUT 100 YARDS IN EVERY 4@SING
DIRECTION.
>> KILLED IN THE EXPLOSION WAS
FIRE CAPTAIN MICHAEL BELL.
HIS BROTHER, FIRE CHIEF TERRY
BELL WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.
HE, ALONG WITH FOUR OTHER
FIREFIGHTERS ARE BEING TREATED
AT MAINE MEDICAL CENTER.
>> THEIR CONDITIONS ARE NOT
BEING4@ RELEASED AT THIS TIME,
DEPUTY CLYDE ROSS WAS ALSO
INJURED AND HE HAS ALREADY BEEN
RELEASED FROM THE HOSPITAL.
WE DO HAVE TEAM COVERAGE FOR
YOU THIS 4@EVENING, NEWSCENTER
MAINE RANITIDINE AND SAMANTHA
YOUR CURRENT FARMINGTON WITH
THE VERY LATEST ON THE
EXPLOSION.
>> CLAY GORDON IS 4@IN AUGUSTA
WERE CAPTAIN MICHAEL BELL'S
BODY 4@IS NOW AT THE SPACE STAT
MEDICAL EXAMINER'S OFFICE.
HANNAH WE WILL START WITH YOU,
AS WE SAID, THIS 4@HAS BEEN SUC
A DIFFICULT 4@DAY FOR FARMINGTO
AND FOR THE FIREFIGHTING
COMMUNITY.
>> Reporter: YES CINDY A AN
INCREDIBLE DIFFICULT DAY, AND A
LONG ONE, TOO.4@
8:00 THIS MORNING, A WORKER AT
L.E.A.P.
INC.
L.E.A.P. INC. AND SMELLED GAS, HE CALLED THE
FARMINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT AND4
IT WAS ONLY WHEN THOSE
FIREFIGHTERS AND I ARRIVED ON
SCENE AND BEGAN TO INVESTIGATE
OF THE BUILDING EXPLODED.
IT WAS A BANG HEARD FOR 4@MILES
AROUND.4@
>> BECAUSE IT WAS LOUDER THAN A
GUNSHOT.
A LOT LOUDER.
LIKE 100 OF THEM ALL AT ONCE.
>> Reporter: PAUL PAGE HEARD
AND SAW THE EXPLOSION FROM H4@I
BACK PORCH.
>> I WAS OUT HERE4@ AND I LOOKE
UP IN THE SKY AND THE BUILDING
WAS ALL UP OVER THERE.
HUNDREDS OF PIECES. 4@
>> Reporter: ANOTHER NEIGHBOR,
EMILY BACON SAYS SHE NEVER --
IT'S A SMALL EXPOSURE AND YOU 4@
DON'T THINK OF THE BUILDING.
>> HER BUILDING RECENTLY
RENOVATED AND EXPLOSION --
HOUSED A FACILITY KNOWN AS 4@
L.E.A.P. .
L.E.A.P.
WORKERS SUPPORT PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES WORKING REMOTELY
VISITING PEOPLE AT THEIR
RESIDENCE OR GROUP HOMES.
IT IS WORK THAT BOARD MEMBER
SCOTT LANDRY SAYS MUST 4@GO ON.
>> YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT, BUT
WE'VE GOT GROUP 4@HOMES AND
PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE4@ FOR IT BUT
THE CARE HAS TO GO ON.4@ 4@
PEOPLE JUST WORRYING 4@ABOUT TH
FOLKS IN THE 4@HOSPITAL.
>> 4@THE EXPLOSION HAS BOTH
LITERALLY AND FIGURATIVELY
SHAKEN THIS COMMUNITY,
PARTICULARLY ITS 4@FIRST
RESPONDERS.
>> I'VE NEVER 4@SEEN ANYTHING
LIKE THIS BEFORE IN MY LIFE.
>> Reporter: BEGAN THE4@4@ PROC
OF MOURNING THE LOSS OF ONE OF
THEIR OWN.
BUT WE CERTAINLY DON'T -- YOU
KNOW, EXPECTS TO LOSE SOMEBODY
THAT WE HAVE WORKED WITH FOR
YEARS AND A LOVED ONE.
>> AND TO GET US BEGIN TO 4@LOO
INTO 4@HOW THIS HAPPENED.4@4@
AS THAT INVESTIGATION
CONTINUES, PEOPLE ARE GATHERING
TONIGHT4@ THOSE WHO WERE KILLED
AND INJURED IN THE EXPLOSION,
HAPPENING AT THE 4@CANDLELIGHT
VIGIL AT A CHURCH IN
FARMINGTON.
SAMANTHA?4@
FARMINGTON. SAMANTHA?4@ >> Reporter: HI, HANNAH, YEAH.
I AM 4@HERE AT THE OLD SOUTH
ADDITIONAL CHURCH HERE IN
FARMINGTON, WHERE MEMBERS OF
THE COMMUNITY ARE EXPECTED TO
SHOW UP AROUND 7:00, BUT
ANOTHER FAMILIAR FACE IN
FARMINGTON TODAY WAS GOVERNOR
JANET MILLS PUTTING HER DUTIES
ASIDE IN AUGUSTA FOR SOMETIME
TODAY4@ TO BE WITH HER SMALL AN
ASIDE IN AUGUSTA FOR SOMETIME TODAY4@ TO BE WITH HER SMALL AN@ A STRONG COMMUNITY, MEMBERS OF
LAW ENFORCEMENT TODAY BRIEF THE
TOWN, AND SHE SAID EARLIER THAT
SHE FEELS FOR HER TIGHTKNI4@T
COMMUNITY.
THE COMMUNITY THAT IS SO STRONG
AND ONE WHERE HEALTH IS NEVER
FAR AWAY.
SHE SA4@YS THAT SHE IS CLOSELY
MONITORING THE EXPLOSION, AND
HAS INSTRUCTED INVESTIGATORS TO
KEEP HER IN THE LOOP ABOUT
FINDING OUT WHAT HAPPENED AND
HOW.
IT'S4@4@
HOW. IT'S4@4@ >> MY 4@CONDOLENCES AGAIN TO TH
FAMILY OF THOSE INJURED, AND
THE ONE DECEASED.4@
WE WILL GET TO THE BOTTOM OF
THIS, AS MUCH AS WE POSSIBLY
CAN, TO PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY,
TO PROTECT ALL OTHER
COMMUNITIES, AND MAKE SURE THAT
THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.
>>4@ GOVERNOR MILLS IS ALSO
CALLING FOR ALL U.S. AND STATE @
FLAGS TO BE FLOWN AT HALF MAST
-- HAVE STAFF THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AT SUNSET IN HONOR OF ALL OF
THOSE AFFECTED.4@4@
AND THE FIREFIGHTER WHO
TRAGICALLY LOST HIS LIFE
RESPONDING TO THIS EVENT TODAY.
AGAIN COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL BE
RESPONDING TO THIS EVENT TODAY. AGAIN COMMUNITY MEMBERS WILL BE@ GATHERING HERE AT THE OLD SOUTH
CON ORIGINAL 4@CHURCH IN
FARMINGTON FOR A CAND4@LELIGHT
VIGIL IN THEIR HONOR.
BACK TO YOU.
>> SAM, THANK YOU SO MUCH. 4@
WE WANT EVERYBODY TO KNOW THAT
THE UNITED4@ WAY OF THE TRI-
VALLEY AREA HAS SET UP A FUND
TO HELP THOSE AFFECTED BY THIS
FARMINGTON EXPLOSION.
TO FIND OUT 4@HOW YOU CAN DONAT
YOU CAN GO TO4@ UWTVA.ORG.
>>> THIS AFTERNOON CAPTAIN
MICHAEL BELL'S BODY MADE A4@
SOLEMN TRIP FROM THE SCENE OF
THE EXPLOSION IN FARMINGTON TO @
THE STATE MEDICAL EXAMINER'S
OFFICE IN AUGUSTINE, WHERE AN
AUTOPSY WILL BE PERFORMED.
>> CLAY GORDON IS THERE NOW
WITH MORE ON WHAT HAS BECOME,
UNFORTUNATELY, AND ALL-TOO-
FAMILIAR OCCURRENCE.
CLAY?4@
>> Reporter: ALL-TOO-FAMILIAR
AS YOU JUST MENTIONED, THAT
PRESS4@ -- 4@PROCESSION YOU JUS
TALKED ABOUT GOING ALL THE WAY
FROM FARMINGTON, RIGHT HERE TO
AUGUSTA, TO THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER'S OFFICE BEHIND ME.
IT WAS A POLICE ESCORT, THE
FIRST TWO TRUCKS, A BRUSH TRUCK
FROM4@ FARMINGTON FIRE RESCUE
DEPARTMENT, AND AN ENGINE FROM
FARMINGTON FIRE AND RESCUE,
FOLLOWED BY A 4@LOT MORE
DEPARTMENTS ALL ACROSS THE WAY,
FOLLOWED BY A 4@LOT MORE DEPARTMENTS ALL ACROSS THE WAY,@ INCLUDING 4@4@-- AS WE SAW HERE
THIS DRIVEWAY WAS PACKED BEHIND
ME, NOW IT IS A DIFFERENT
STORY, PRETTY QUIET AROUND HERE
, EXCEPT FOR THESE MEMBERS OF
4@ THE FIRE COMMUNITY HERE, YOU
ARE LOOKING AT THE WATERVILLE
FIRE DEPARTMENT WHO JUST
ARRIVED ON SCENE, THEY ARE
STANDING WATCH, THEY ARE
ROTATING IN AND OUT, WITH
MEMBERS 4@OF AUGUSTA, AUBURN,
CLINTON, FAIRFIELD, STUCK
AGAIN, THEY TELL ME THAT THEY
ARE SCHEDULED 4@TO MEET HERE AL
THE WAY THROUGH TOMORROW
MORNING.
THIS IS WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE 4@A
LITTLE BIT EARLIER, THE
DRIVEWAY LINED WITH FOREST
RANGERS, MEMBERS OF THE MEDICAL
EXAMINER'S OFFICE AND LAB
COATS, AND THEN, BEHIND THE
BACK LOT WERE FIREFIGHTERS AND
POLICE, ALL STANDING 4@AT
ATTENTION4@. CAPTAIN BELL'S BOD
SLOWLY BROUGHT IN BY AN 4@
UNMARKED VAN, WHERE HE WAS
RECEIVED BY THE MAINE STATE
POLICE. HIS BODY ON A GURNEY
WAS DRAPED IN AN AMERICAN FLAG,
THEN MANY MEMBERS OF THE
FARMINGTON FIRE AND RESCUE
DEPARTMENT IN THE FRONT ROW TO
ISSUE 4@THEIR CONDOLENCES.
>> ONCE I FOUND 4@OUT THAT
FIREFIGHTER PASSED AWAY ALL OF
A SUDDEN IT WAS LIKE A TON OF
BRICKS, YOU KNOW.
IT IS JUST 4@DEVASTATING.
>> I LOVE DOIN4@G IT, LOVE 4@
HELPING PEOPLE, BUT IT TAKES
RISKS.
FIRE SERVICE IS A RISK.
WE DON'T WANT THIS RESULT TO
HAPPEN.
AND IT'S SAD.
CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY.4@
>> ANOTHER TOUGH MOMENT4@ WHEN
THEY SAW TWO MEMBERS OF THE
FARMINGTON FIRE DEPARTMENT WALK
OUTSIDE OF THE BUILDING,
CARRYING A FLAG4@, THE AMERICAN
FLAG FOLDED INTO A TRIANGLE,
THAT WAS CAPTAIN BELL'S FLAG
DRAPED OVER HIM, AND I SPOKE
WITH STATE POLICE4@ SPOKESMAN
STEVE McCAUSLAND.
HE DOES NOT KNOW 4@WHEN AN
AUTOPSY IS KNOWN TO BE
SCHEDULED MOST LIKELY EITHER
TONIGHT OR TOMORROW.
NEW CENTER MAINE.
TALK TO YOU.4@
>>> THIS YEAR HAS BEEN A TRAGIC
ONE FOR FIRST RESPONDERS ALL
AROUND MAINE.
CAPTAIN MICHAEL BELL'S DEATH IS
AROUND MAINE. CAPTAIN MICHAEL BELL'S DEATH IS@ THE FIFTH LINE OF DUTY DEATH IN
OUR STATE, THE THIRD FOR A
FIREFIGHTER IN LESS THAN A YEAR
AND A HALF.
>>4@ FIREFIGHTERS THIS EVENING,
CAPTAIN JOE BARNES DIED IN
MARCH WHILE FIGHTING A FIRE AT
AN APARTMENT BUILDING, HE THREW
HIMSELF ON TOP OF A 4@FELLOW
FIREFIGHTER, AND SAVE TO THAT
PERSON'S LIFE.
>> FIREFIGHTERS ALL AROUND NEW
ENGLAND TRAVELS 4@TODAY FOR
CAPTAIN BURNS FUNERAL IN
PORTLAND ONE WEEK AFTER HIS
DEATH, THAT INCLUDED OXFORD
FIRE CHIEF 4@GARY