List of disasters in Maine by death toll

This is a list of disasters that have occurred in Maine organized by death toll. Historically documented events that caused 10 or more deaths are included.

List Notes: Some of the events occurred prior to Maine becoming a U.S. state. Acts of war are excluded, such as battles of the American Revolutionary War in Maine. Some of the events occurred in the Atlantic Ocean, at varying distances from land.

YearEventTypeDeath tollLocationSources1864Wreck of the steamship Accident – ship42off Cape Elizabeth1941Disappearance of the excursion cruiser DonAccident – ship34off Bailey Island1850Maine Insane Asylum fireFire28Augusta1919Onawa train wreckAccident – railroad23Onawa"C.P.R. TRAIN WRECK KILLS 23, INJURES 50". New York Times, December 21, 1919. (paywall link)1899Mount Desert Ferry gangway collapseDrowning20Bar Harbor1944South Portland A-26 Invader crashAccident – aircraft19South Portland20232023 Lewiston shootingsMass shooting19Lewiston1908Schooner Fame/steamship Boston collisionAccident – ship18off Seguin Light1807Wreck of the HanoverAccident – ship17off Pond Island1945Lacoste Babies Home fireFire17Auburn1979Downeast Airlines Flight 46Accident – aircraft17Rockland1807Wreck of the schooner CharlesAccident – ship16off Richmond Island1920Chesuncook Lake drowningsAccident – boat16Bangor1947Great Fires of 1947Wildfires16Statewide1807Wreck of the SaguntoAccident – ship14off Smuttynose Island1902Isles of Shoals boating accidentAccident – boat14off Appledore Island2002Allagash Wilderness Waterway van accidentDrowning14Millinocket1860Wreck of the schooner Neptune's BrideAccident – ship12off Criehaven1936Gardner Lake TragedyAccident – boat12Marion Township1849Disappearance of the schooner Levi WoodburyAccident – ship10off Boon Island1920Wreck of the SS PoliasAccident – ship10off Port Clyde1944North Oxford B-17 Flying Fortress crashAccident – aircraft10North Oxford1947Brockton drownings at Moosehead LakeAccident – boat10Greenville

Notable events in Maine that claimed multiple lives, but less than 10 (thus are not included in the above list), include the 1933 Belfast, Maine shooting, the crash of TWA Flight 277 in 1944, the crash of Bar Harbor Airlines Flight 1808 in 1985, the 2014 Noyes Street fire, and the 2023 Bowdoin–Yarmouth shootings.

See also List of accidents and disasters by death toll List of natural disasters by death toll List of disasters in Massachusetts by death toll List of disasters in New Hampshire by death toll List of disasters in the United States by death toll

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Further reading