ROCKPORT, Maine — A man died Friday afternoon in Rockport after the diesel fuel tank he was welding on exploded.
At about 2:50 p.m., fire and emergency officials responded to a report of an explosion at Rockport Steel, a news release from the state fire marshal's office said.
Investigators with the state fire marshal's office responded to the scene where it was determined that 39-year-old Sean Rancourt of Waterville was welding on a diesel fuel tank when it exploded, the release stated.
As a result of the explosion, Rancourt suffered life-threatening injuries. Officials said local EMS personnel treated Rancourt on the scene, but he did not survive.
His body was taken to the state medical examiner's office in Augusta where an autopsy will be performed, according to the release.
The Maine Department of Corrections said Saturday in a news release that Rancourt was imprisoned at Bolduc Correctional Facility. Rancourt was employed at Rockport Steel as part of a work-release program, MDOC said.
Rancourt began serving a sentence in 2018 for aggravated trafficking of scheduled drugs. According to MDOC, his earliest possible release date was September this year.
The Rockport Fire Department, Rockport Police Department, Camden Police Department, and Northeast Ambulance Service responded.
Rockport Steel is located at 17 Rockville St.
The state attorney general's office, Maine State Police, and medical examiner were all notified about the incident, which is apparently consistent with Maine Department of Corrections policy.
The incident is being investigated by the state fire marshal's office.