FARMINGTON — Burn victim Larry Lord, 62, of Jay is expected to leave the Spaulding Rehabilitation Center in Boston in an ambulance between 11 and 11:15 a.m. Friday for a police escort to his home.
Lord was burned over half of his body when the LEAP Inc. building on Farmington Falls Road exploded after a propane leak Sept. 16, 2019. He has spent the past the past seven months in Boston medical facilities.
Lord, a LEAP employee, has been recognized for getting 12 employees out of the building prior to the explosion.
The blast claimed the life of Farmington Fire Rescue Capt. Michael Bell and seriously or critically injured six other firefighters, including Bell’s brother, Chief Terry Bell.
All of the times below are estimated and may change because of the moderate speed the escort vehicles and the weather, Stephen McCausland said.
The Maine Office of the State Fire Marshal has played a major part in organizing the escort, along with Maine State Police, he said.
Livermore Falls Police Lt. Joseph Sage, a good friend of the Lord family, will be in Boston and take part in the escort home.
McCausland reminds everyone who turns out to follow Gov. Janet Mills’ executive order and maintain social distancing. He anticipates that most people will remain in their vehicles but as the escort gets into Farmington and Jay, people may be out of their vehicles to welcome him home, he said.
The Massachusetts State Police Honor Guard will escort Lord to the New Hampshire line where a New Hampshire State Police Honor Guard will take over the detail. The estimated time of arrival there is 11:45 a.m.
It is expected to arrive at the Maine border about noon when the Maine State Police Honor Guard will lead the way to the Augusta Fire Station on Leighton Road. Estimated arrival is at 2 p.m. State fire investigators, Farmington Fire Rescue and Police and Jay Police Department will be among the agencies there.
The escort will continue on Route 27 through Sidney, Belgrade, Rome and New Sharon. Franklin County area first responders will join the escort at the New Sharon. It will continue down Route 27 into Farmington, turn right onto High Street and pass the Farmington Fairgrounds.
At the intersection with Broadway in downtown Farmington, it will turn left and left again onto Main Street and continue on Route 4 to Jay and Livermore Falls. It will turn left onto Church Street in Livermore Falls, just past Western Auto, continue up to Route 133 and into Jay to Lord’s home on Franklin Road/Route 133. The estimated arrival time is 3:30 p.m.
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