JAY — Larry Lord was escorted through three states and many towns Friday on his way home after nearly seven months of treatment for critical injuries from propane explosion last year in Farmington.

The 62-year-old received a hero’s welcome along the way.

He is credited with saving about a dozen co-workers at the LEAP Inc. building in Farmington before it exploded. He called 911, and several minutes after members of the Farmington Fire Rescue Department showed up the blast occurred.

Farmington Fire Capt. Michael A. Bell, 68, was killed and six other firefighters, including Bell’s brother, Chief Terry Bell, and Lord, a maintenance supervisor for LEAP, were either seriously or critically injured.

Livermore residents Anne Hammond and her husband, Barry, turned out for the welcome home.

“We sure are happy for him to come home,” Ann Hammond of Livermore said. “He saved a lot of lives. He’s a hero. We wouldn’t have missed this.”

“I’m glad he’s home,” said her husband, Barry. “I am sure he is too. We are proud of him.”

“He’s a hero,” Joline Crawford of Jay said of Lord. “I actually work with John Bell who lost his brother. Larry’s a true hero. He deserves it.”

The Massachusetts State Police Honor Guard led Lord’s ambulance from the rehabilitation center in Boston to the New Hampshire line. The New Hampshire State Police Honor Guard took over the escort to the Maine line, where Maine State Police Honor Guard took the lead.

Blaring sirens could be heard in the distance as the fleet of emergency vehicles, including State Police, local police, state fire investigators, fire departments, ambulances and personal vehicles drew closer on Main Street to Chisholm village after 3 p.m. in Jay. Wilton and Jay fire rescue department made an arch with a large flag stretched between the ladder trucks in front of St. Rose of Lima Church, near the Livermore Falls line.

As emergency and personal vehicles passed under the arch, the driver of the ambulance carrying Lord and other people in it wore masks; some waved to those on the sides of the road.

The flag flapped in the wind. The parking lot at the church’s Parish Hall started to fill up early, while others parked their vehicles on the side of the road. Some people got out while others stayed in.

The convoy went through several towns before it reached downtown Farmington and then continued heading toward Jay.

“There was a good amount of people downtown,” Farmington Chief Terry Bell said after participating in the escort. “It was a good turnout. Everyone was social distancing which was good.”

In Jay, a couple of people held signs of welcome near the arch.

One that read “Welcome home Larry” was held by Dani Tannenbaum of Jay. “Thank you” and “Farmington Strong” were handwritten on the poster as she waited for Lord’s arrival.

“It means a lot to see all of these people here to welcome him,” she said. “He is the last one to come home.”

 

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