Federal Lawsuit Filed After Worker Plummets 80 Feet at Rumford Paper Mill

On February 19, 2026, Gideon Asen LLC filed a federal lawsuit in the United States District Court for the District of Maine alleging that a worker at the Rumford Mill in Rumford, Maine plummeted 80 feet after falling into the opening of a chimney shaft, landing in an industrial boiler nine stories below. The Rumford Mill is owned by ND Paper Inc..

On May 28, 2025, the 35-year-old worker, Damion Hatcher, had been directed to clean inside a permit-required confined space next to the open vertical drop in the floor without fall protection, proper monitoring, or required rescue systems. Makeshift scaffolding poles were used as unsecured guardrails in front of the hole, which violated OSHA standards.

Approximately thirty minutes after he fell, Hatcher was discovered at the base of the shaft and was transported by LifeFlight to Maine Medical Center. Hatcher survived but suffered devastating injuries, including severe traumatic brain injury, respiratory collapse, internal bleeding, multiple fractures, and permanent cognitive and physical impairment. He can no longer walk, speak, or care for himself.

The lawsuit, filed by Gideon Asen on behalf of Mr. Hatcher’s wife, Keyana Edwards, alleges that multiple companies operating at the Rumford Mill ignored basic workplace safety requirements and exposed workers to an extreme and preventable hazard.

The lawsuit names ND Paper Inc., Republic Services, Inc. (d/b/a ACV Enviro and Clean Venture), Zampell Refractories, Inc., New England Mechanical Overlay Construction Services, Inc., and Labor Cleaning Service, Inc. as defendants.

The Complaint further details that OSHA issued multiple citations following its investigation, including serious and repeat violations related to fall protection and confined space safety. “This was the predictable result of ignoring basic rules about fall protection,” said attorney Meryl Poulin, counsel for the family. “An 80-foot drop is a deadly hazard. It should never have been treated casually, and no worker should have been allowed in the space without fall protection.”

Mr. Hatcher is a husband and father of four children and was the primary earner for his family before the accident. He now requires lifelong medical care and supervision.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for negligence, premises liability, loss of consortium, and reckless disregard for worker safety.

“The goal of this case is accountability,” Poulin added. “No one should have to suffer like this because corporations chose convenience over safety.”

The case is Edwards v. ND Paper Inc., et al., filed February 19, 2026, in the United States District Court for the District of Maine. The official complaint can be read here.