On Saturday, July 26, 2025, a devastating camper explosion occurred at the Powder Horn Campground in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, resulting in the deaths of Alesia Ventura-Large, 58, of Marlborough, Massachusetts, and Nancy Pilsch, 58, of Leominster, Massachusetts. WMTW

On Saturday, July 26, 2025, a devastating camper explosion occurred at the Powder Horn Campground in Old Orchard Beach, Maine, resulting in the deaths of Alesia Ventura-Large, 58, of Marlborough, Massachusetts, and Nancy Pilsch, 58, of Leominster, Massachusetts. WMTW

The explosion took place around 12:30 p.m. when a liquefied petroleum (LP) gas leak ignited after one of the women lit a candle inside the camper. Both women suffered severe burns and were transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland, where they succumbed to their injuries the following day. WMTW

The Maine State Fire Marshal’s Office is actively investigating the incident, with assistance from the Maine Solid Fuel Inspectors. Preliminary findings suggest that the gas had been leaking into and beneath the camper, creating a hazardous environment. Authorities are urging the public to install gas detectors in living spaces where propane or natural gas appliances are used to alert occupants to dangerous gas buildup.