By Nick Sambides Jr.
Bangor Daily News
CHESTER, Maine —Two Chester residents accidentally caused an explosion that shattered a window while “mixing dissimilar chemicals” to clean a swimming pool on Sunday, firefighters said.
The two residents, who were not injured, were doing a “a normal everyday pool operation” when the explosion occurred at a North Chester Road home, Lincoln Deputy Fire Chief Frank Hammond Jr. said.
“It made a big splatter and a big boom,” Hammond said Sunday.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, pool chemicals can cause fires, heat buildups, toxic chemical releases and personal injuries when wetted by a small amount of water or mixed improperly.
“It was an honest mistake. They were normal everyday pool chemicals. There was no ill intent here,” Hammond added. “There was no playing around. It was just a normal everyday pool operation.”
After the explosion, the residents drove themselves to the Public Safety building in Lincoln, where they were checked out by ambulance workers at about 10:45 a.m., Hammond said.
They had no apparent injuries and declined to go to a hospital for further examination, Hammond said.
Lincoln firefighters found only the broken window, which was part of a double-wide mobile home very close to the pool in the back yard. No other damage occurred, Hammond said.
Firefighters also consulted with members of the Penobscot County hazardous materials team at the Orono Fire Department to ensure that they were handling the chemicals properly, Hammond said.
The house is near the former Chester Diner and Variety store at 16 North Chester Road. Lincoln emergency services have a contract to cover Chester, an adjoining Penobscot County town off Interstate 95’s Exit 227.
Copyright 2017 Bangor Daily News