United States Fire Administration
15 June 2026
EMMITSBURG, Md. — The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has announced the on-duty death of Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Woodbury, 76, of the Searsmont Volunteer Fire Department on 14 June 2026.
On May 15, 2026, Assistant Fire Chief Wayne Woodbury responded with the Searsmont Volunteer Fire Department to a fire in a wood chip silo at a lumber mill. While operating the fire department truck and working to contain the fire, an explosion occurred. Assistant Fire Chief Woodbury was injured in the explosion and was transported to a local hospital. He was later transported to a medical center where he remained until he passed away on June 14, 2026.
Firefighter Andrew Cross from the Morrill Volunteer Fire Department was also killed in the incident and multiple other firefighters were seriously injured and are still being treated.
Age: 76
Rank: Assistant Fire Chief
Classification: Volunteer
Incident date: May 15, 2026 10:05 AM
Date of death: June 14, 2026
Cause of fatal injury: Unknown
Nature of fatal injury: Unknown
Activity type: Pump Operations
Emergency duty: Yes
Duty type: On-Scene Fire
Fixed property use: Manufacturing
The number of on-duty deaths for 2026 is currently 33.
Go here to read the number of interior line of duty deaths for 2026.
Fatality status is provisional and may change as USFA contacts State Fire Marshals to verify fatality incident information.
For more information about on-duty deaths as recorded by the United States Fire Administration go to “Firefighter Fatalities in the United States.”
Photo courtesy of News Center Maine.
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