The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) has opened an investigation into a fatal chemical release at Woodland Pulp in Baileyville, Maine.
On January 27, 2026, 20-year old intern Kasie Malcolm, a chemical engineering student at the University of Maine, was killed and nine other workers were injured when a highly toxic gas was released into the facility. Two of the injured employees were seriously hurt, one of whom remains hospitalized, according to the CSB.
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Based on initial information Woodland Pulp sent to the CSB, the industrial accident may have involved concentrated sulfuric acid mixing with sulfurous compounds in an enclosed process sewer. The mix likely created the hydrogen sulfide, which was released into the bleach plant area of the mill.
CSB Chairperson Steve Owens called the incident “deeply concerning.” A team of CSB investigators has already been deployed to Maine. The CSB will examine the circumstances surrounding the release, including the company’s chemical handling practices, process safety systems, and emergency response actions.
As the investigation proceeds, the CSB will gather evidence, conduct interviews, and analyze relevant documents and data, providing updates as more information becomes available.
Malcolm recently started working at the mill as an intern, according to Boston.com. A company spokesperson told the outlet that co-workers were trying to shut down the mill when Malcolm and another individual were suddenly overcome.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up and has already raised nearly $37,000 to help Malcolm’s family pay for a celebration of life. According to the fundraisers, Malcolm was raised by his grandmother Paula Malcolm, who is unable to work.
Woodland Pulp has some 310 employees, according to the company’s website, and has operated in Baileyville since 1904.
The CSB is an independent, nonregulatory federal agency that investigates incidents that involve the catastrophic release of extremely hazardous substances. The agency hopes to determine the cause of the deadly incident and what can be done to prevent something like this from happening again.
IEN reached out to Woodland Pulp and the CSB, but neither immediately responded to our request for comment.
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