A lawsuit on behalf of firefighters involved in the deadly Farmington explosion has been settled two years after the incident, according to an attorney.
Six firefighters and the estate of Captain Michael Bell settled with C.N. Brown Company of South Paris and Techno Metal Post Maine of Manchester. No other details about the settlement were shared publicly. The lawsuit claimed negligence by both companies. Bell was the one person killed in the September 2019 blast.
“While the settlement of the civil case ends the court action, the firefighters, especially the family of Michael Bell, will live with the effects of this tragic event forever," Walter McKee told News Center Maine in a statement Tuesday.
An investigation by the State Fire Marshal's Office found the explosion was caused by a gas line severed when posts were drilled into the ground, and the gas company's technician failed to do a required pressure check when refilling the emptied tank.