Second fatality confirmed after tragic gas leak at Maine pulp mill

A community is in mourning after a second worker died following a toxic gas leak at a Maine pulp mill. Allen Hornberger, a 26-year-old process engineer, passed away on Tuesday.

He had spent three weeks in intensive care after the January incident at Woodland Pulp in Baileyville, which also claimed the life of 20-year-old intern Kasie Malcolm.

His family expressed their heartbreak through a solicitor, stating: “With profound sorrow, we confirm the passing of our dear son Allen.”

They stayed by his side in the ICU, “hoping for a miracle that didn’t come to pass.” Hornberger was an only child, described as an intelligent man with a promising future.

“The world feels dimmer with the loss of his sincere heart and remarkable mind," the family added.

Emergency crews were called to the plant on 27 January after two employees were found collapsed. Officials believe they were exposed to a hazardous inhalation risk near the bleach plant.

The US Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board is now leading a probe into the disaster. Early reports suggest a mixture of concentrated sulphuric acid and sulphurous components may have created hydrogen sulphide, a lethal gas.

Kasie Malcolm, a junior at the University of Maine, was interning at the facility when the leak occurred. As the community seeks answers, Woodland Pulp confirmed that multiple investigations are ongoing.

For the Hornberger family, the focus remains on seeking the truth: “It’s unimaginable to lose him in this manner, with numerous unanswered questions about what transpired in the plant.”