One firefighter dead and seven others hurt in Farmington explosion. (Updated)

[Judi Lynn]

3. Worker who herded people out before explosion is called hero

Robert F. Bukaty and David Sharp, Associated Press
Updated 9:22 pm CDT, Tuesday, September 17, 2019



FARMINGTON, Maine (AP) — A maintenance manager was credited Tuesday with saving lives by evacuating a building before an explosion that gravely injured him, while investigators began examining the rubble to determine the cause and the firefighter who died was saluted.

Larry Lord emptied the building of "at least a dozen or so employees" when the odor of propane gas was detected just minutes before the powerful blast destroyed the building and killed a firefighter, Police Chief Jack Peck said Tuesday.

. . .

"They got a warning from the maintenance guy," she said Monday, calling him a hero.

Her colleagues told her that they were taken to a safe area but that Lord went back inside with firefighters before the blast occurred.

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LEAP worker hailed as hero for evacuating employees
LEAP maintenance worker Larry Lord is credited with saving more than a dozen employees after warning them to the smell of gas
Author: Hannah Dineen
Published: 8:10 PM EDT September 17, 2019
Updated: 11:45 AM EDT September 18, 2019

FARMINGTON, Maine — As the Farmington community comes to terms with the tragedy of the LEAP, Inc., explosion, stories of heroism are emerging.

One story that has tugged at hearts across the country is the heroic actions of Larry Lord, the maintenance worker at LEAP, a nonprofit that serves people with cognitive and intellectual disabilities.

. . .

The GoFundMe page says, "Larry suffered severe burns on over half of his body, multiple traumas, broken bones, and critical injuries. He was air lifted to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he’s expected to be for 4 months."

It also says he is recovering in the ICU burn unit.

. . .

Lord lives with his wife Sandy in Jay, Maine. In addition to working maintenance at LEAP, Inc., he is the animal control officer in the town of Livermore Falls.

Before those professional roles, he spent many years of his life working in a paper mill.

Coworkers describe Lord as an incredibly dedicated and hard worker. He is the person everyone turns to for any problem, not matter how small. Lord played a major role in the recent renovation and expansion of the new LEAP facility, which was set to have a grand reopening next month.

More:
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/life/leap-worker-hailed-as-hero-for-evacuating-employees-before-farmington-explosion/97-f10d626d-04ef-457f-9920-0780d6b29ab7