Two people sustained serious injuries on Tuesday evening after a gas leak at the Woodland Pulp mill in Baileyville.
The incident was reported at about 6:20 p.m. at the plant at 144 Main St., Baileyville Fire Chief Brandon Ireland said.
“It was reported the individuals injured were overtaken by some type of gas inside the plant,” Ireland said, noting that it happened inside the bleach plant at the mill.
Mutual aid from surrounding towns, including Calais, were called, and the two injured people, who have not been named, were removed from the plant and taken to Calais Hospital with “serious injuries,” Ireland said.
On Tuesday evening, firefighters and mill personnel were trying to determine the cause of the leak. Reached by phone just before 9 p.m., Ireland said the cause was not known yet, and he did not know the current condition of the two injured people.
Ireland said no gas escaped from the plant and there is no danger to the public. The Maine Department of Environmental Protection has been contacted, he said.
“I know that was quite a concern of townspeople and people down river, but there’s no threat to the public,” he said.