Federal investigators have detailed a series of preventable safety failures at the pressherald.com mill in Baileyville, Maine, following a January 27 gas leak that killed two employees. An update from the U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) revealed the facility lacked basic ventilation, tracking systems, and alarms to protect workers from a predictable release of toxic hydrogen sulfide gas.
Federal Investigation Details Safety Failures in Fatal Gas Leak
The victims were identified as 20-year-old University of Maine student Kasie Malcolm and 26-year-old engineer Allen Hornberger. According to the CSB, the two were working on the mill’s second floor, approximately 15 to 20 feet from a designated hydrogen sulfide release zone. Investigators concluded the pair were likely exposed to gas levels exceeding 500 parts per million (ppm). While 100 ppm is considered immediately dangerous,
levels over 500 ppm cause death and rapid respiratory paralysis.
A third employee on the first floor collapsed during the initial exposure but was revived after being moved into fresh air. Other employees suffered burning in their throats and eyes but did not require hospitalization.
Infrastructure Decay and Maintenance Gaps
The CSB report describes the leak as the result of gas building up in an old 1,000-foot-long acid sewer pipe used to collect waste from the wood chip bleaching area. Part of this pipe had been modified in the 1970s to flow upward. Investigators found that the gas escaped through unpatched holes and gashes, including a 6-inch by 2-inch gash left by previous maintenance and two 1-inch holes drilled in a vent pipe in 2006 for measurements that were never plugged.
The report further noted that the mill was not utilizing its primary safety system on the day of the leak, as the primary acid injection system had been damaged six months prior. CSB member Sylvia Johnson stated that while the company was aware of the hazards associated with hydrogen sulfide gas
, it lacked adequate systems in place to monitor or mitigate the hazards
.
Long-term Safety Warnings and Regulatory Bypass
The mill was not equipped with stationary hydrogen sulfide detectors, nor were employees provided with wearable personal monitors. According to the CSB, a 2018 agreement between Woodland Pulp and workplace safety inspectors had allowed the facility to bypass rigorous federal safety standards, including the use of hydrogen sulfide monitors, because the mill did not store large amounts of hazardous chemicals.
However, some employees claim the need for such monitors was known for years. Shawn Howland, a 27-year veteran of the bleach plant and local United Steelworkers (USW) union president, said he had lobbied four different superintendents for personal monitors since his first day on the job. Michael Higgins, a USW representative, noted that these personal monitors cost approximately $100 each.
Financial Impact and Legal Penalties
The incident has resulted in significant financial consequences for Woodland Pulp and its owner, the International Grand Investment Corporation. The CSB found the leak caused $16 million in property damage, a figure that includes loss of use. Additionally, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has proposed nearly $800,000 in fines and four willful citations.
The tragedy has drawn wider attention to industrial risks in the region. Higgins noted that OSHA documented 31 worksite deaths caused by hydrogen sulfide between 2020 and 2024. Following the deaths of Malcolm and Hornberger, Howland stated he is working with upper management to install new safety systems to ensure the facility is no longer the same building it was on January 27.
