A Message from Robbins Lumber

The Robbins Lumber family is deeply grateful for the extraordinary outpouring of support, prayers, and kindness we have received following the tragic events of Friday, May 15th.

Our hearts are with the family of the firefighter who lost his life in service to our community, and with the firefighters who remain hospitalized as they recover from their injuries. We are profoundly thankful for the courage, professionalism, and sacrifice shown by the first responders who answered the call that day.
 

We also want to share that two of our owners, Jim Robbins and Alden Robbins, along with family member Lily Robbins, are receiving excellent care at Massachusetts General Hospital’s world-class burn center. They have a long road to recovery ahead, but they are in the very best hands, and we look forward to their return.

We are incredibly thankful for the support offered by our employees, our industry partners, our customers, our community, and so many others who have reached out with encouragement and offers to help. Your kindness has meant more than words can express during this difficult time.
 

We have also received many requests from those wishing to establish fundraising efforts for our family. While we are deeply touched by this generosity, we respectfully ask that any contributions instead be directed to your local fire department or to the Shriners in honor of the firefighters and families impacted by this tragedy.

Robbins Lumber has stood strong since 1881. While this is an unimaginable tragedy, our commitment to our people, our customers, and our future remains unwavering. We are fully committed to rebuilding and moving forward together.
 

At this time, we are working closely with investigators and fully cooperating as they conduct their review of this horrific event. Out of respect for that process and for all those affected, we will not be commenting further on the circumstances of the incident until more information can be made available.
 

Thank you again for your compassion, your patience, and your continued support as we navigate the difficult days ahead.

Catherine Robbins-Halsted and the Robbins Family

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Update May 19, 2026, 2:30PM

For those looking to donate towards relief efforts, the Town of Searsmont has set up a Fire Relief Fund and also supports the Maine Strong Memorial Foundation which has been vetted by the Town.

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Update May 29, 2026, 6:00PM

We would like to extend our heartfelt thanks to our customers, industry partners, friends, neighbors, and the entire lumber community for the incredible support, encouragement, and prayers we have received over the past several days. The kindness shown to our company and employees during this difficult time has been overwhelming and deeply appreciated.

We are pleased to share that Robbins Lumber resumed full mill operations and began processing orders again on May 26th. Thanks to the extraordinary efforts of our employees and partners, we have worked quickly to restore operations safely and
efficiently.

Our coatings facility, located just five miles away, was not impacted and continues normal operations. We are also utilizing our Sanford, Maine location for warehousing, while our East Baldwin mill has stepped up production efforts to support customer order needs. In addition, we have constructed a temporary warehouse on site to further support shipping and operational continuity.

We remain committed to providing the quality products and dependable service our customers have come to expect. We are fully operational, ready for your orders, and look forward to continuing to meet your Eastern White Pine needs.

Jim, Alden, and Lily continue to receive excellent care at Massachusetts General Hospital. We remain hopeful and encouraged by their progress and look forward to welcoming them back when they are able. We also continue to hold all those recovering and affected by this tragedy in our hearts and thoughts each day.

The strength, resilience, and compassion shown by our employees, families, customers, and community have been extraordinary. Thank you for standing with Robbins Lumber.

With gratitude,
Catherine Robbins-Halsted 
Robbins Lumber, Inc