Alden Robbins, a co-owner of Robbins Lumber who was severely injured in a May 15 fire and explosion at the company’s Searsmont mill, has died, according to his family.
“It is with profound sadness that the Robbins family announces the passing of Alden J. Robbins, who died on July 2, 2026, from injuries sustained in the tragic accident at Robbins Lumber on May 15, 2026,” the family said in a statement released Friday afternoon.
“We are heartbroken by the loss of a beloved husband, father, son, brother, uncle, and friend. Alden was the heart of our family in so many ways, and nothing mattered more to him than the people he loved. Throughout his battle, he fought with extraordinary courage and determination, holding on so that his family could have precious time with him. He passed away peacefully, surrounded by those who loved him.”
Robbins’ death is the latest blow resulting from the fire and subsequent explosion at the mill, which caused a silo to shoot into the air and then fall back to earth in a ball of flame that engulfed nearby firefighters and mill workers. Overall, a dozen people were injured when dust inside the silo ignited, resulting in one of Maine’s worst industrial catastrophes in recent memory.
Robbins was one of 3 members of the Robbins family who were injured when the silo exploded as firefighters and mill workers were working to contain a blaze that started in the mill’s woodchip bagging building.
He is the 3rd person to die from injuries suffered in the explosion. Morrill firefighter Andrew Cross was killed in the immediate blast, while Searsmont Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Woodbury died of his injuries a month later.
The news of Alden Robbins’ death was released the same afternoon that Katherine Paige, a Belmont firefighter who also was severely burned in the explosion, was released from MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland.
Other members of the family injured in the blast include Alden’s brother and fellow Robbins Lumber co-owner Jim A. Robbins, and Alden’s daughter Lily Robbins, a local EMT who was at the mill when the explosion occurred. Jim and Lily Robbins are believed to both remain hospitalized at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston.
“Our family is deeply grateful for the exceptional care provided by the medical teams at Maine Medical Center in Portland and at the Sumner Redstone Burn Center at Massachusetts General Hospital,” the Robbinses’ statement continued. “Their skill, compassion, and unwavering dedication went far beyond what could ever have been expected. They cared not only for Alden, but for our entire family during the most difficult days of our lives, and we will always be grateful.”
The family also thanked the community for its support through the tragedy, adding that a celebration of Alden Robbins’ life will be arranged and held at a later date.
“At this time, we respectfully ask for privacy as our family mourns this tremendous loss and begins to navigate life without someone who meant so much to all of us,” they said.
