Maine Governor Janet Mills says her administration has purchased gas detection meters for twenty fire departments across the state.

It comes nearly a year after a massive explosion at the LEAP Inc. building in Farmington, which was destroyed in a blast that killed Fire Captain Michael Bell and injured several others in September of 2019. The cause of the explosion was determined to be a gas leak.

In a statement, the governor’s administration says the meters will allow firefighters to detect the presence of dangerous gases and take precautions to protect themselves and others.

The meters will be distributed to Brownfield, Burlington, Cherryfield, Corinth, Danforth, Dixmont, Hiram, Littleton, Machias, Marshfield, Millinocket, Minot, North Haven, North Lakes, Old Orchard Beach, Portage Lake, Roxbury, Washburn, Waterboro and Winterport.