OLD ORCHARD BEACH — Two women who suffered severe burns after their camper exploded in Old Orchard Beach have died, according to the Maine Office of State Fire Marshal.

The victims were identified as Alesia Ventura-Large, 58, of Marlborough, Massachusetts, and Nancy Pilsch, 57, of Leominster, Massachusetts.

The explosion occurred at Powder Horn Family Camping Resort on Saturday afternoon. The victims were transported to Maine Medical Center in Portland and died from their injuries Sunday, according to the fire marshal’s office.

Fire Marshal Shawn Esler said during a news conference Monday that the women were conscious when first responders arrived on Saturday and reported smelling a garlic odor in the camper that afternoon.

The women told first responders that they opened the camper windows and doors before attempting to light a candle, which officials believe ignited the explosion. The flame ignited gas that had been leaking into and beneath the park model camper, according to the fire marshal’s office.

Esler said first responders saw a stove burner knob was switched to the “on” position inside the camper.

Officials believe there are two possible reasons the leak could have started: a burner was left on or the propane hookup experienced a system failure, Esler said. Investigators will conduct pressure testing on the gas tank to determine the cause, he said.

Esler said Ventura-Large and a family member owned the camper, which he estimates is 12 to 14 years old. She and Pilsch were friends, he said. Esler said he didn’t know how long the women had been at the campsite, but said the camper was set up for the season.

John Large, husband of Ventura-Large, said in a public Facebook post that he and his wife’s family were by her side when she died. In a Facebook message to a reporter, Large wrote that his family would appreciate privacy and space.

“The only words I would add is that she was a healer, and a lover of life,” he wrote. “She literally brought light into everyone and everything. There is only one Alesia Ventura-Large. She was it.”

In his Facebook post, Large described his wife as “beautiful, loving, intelligent, witty, charming, bewitching, kind, considerate, sexy, incredible sense of humor, intuitive, instinctive, powerful, amazing, positive, understanding, supportive, faithful, and always loving.”

A ‘GREAT TRAGEDY’ AT POWDER HORN

The perimeter of the Breckenridge park model camper, which is located in a shady cul-de-sac of the Pine Grove section of the campground, was surrounded by yellow caution tape Monday afternoon. That area is designated for seasonal campers, according to a map of the property on the campground’s website.

Two campers who were packing up their seasonal camper nearby said they didn’t hear the explosion, but recalled returning from the campground’s store Saturday afternoon to see tall flames and billows of smoke.

Della LaPointe and Shane Sullivan, who are from New Hampshire, said they have been visiting the campground every summer for four years. They said they didn’t know the victims.

LaPointe said the whole street outside of their camper was lined with emergency vehicles while first responders worked to put out the fire.

The park model camper where the explosion occurred was set up with a liquid petroleum tank fixed to the side of it, Esler said during the news conference. He said that is a common practice for seasonal campers that remain on the site for long periods of time.

Esler said he doesn’t know who set up the gas tank, but campers at Powder Horn purchase tanks themselves. Esler said the setup at Ventura-Large’s camper appeared to be hooked up correctly. Further testing will reveal if the tank experienced a failure, he said.

Powder Horn, on Cascade Road, has been owned by the same family since 1970 and is open from May to October, according to its website. It offers both seasonal and short-term campsites, as well as cabin rentals. The owners say on the website that they “pledge to maintain the highest of standards regarding the cleanliness of our facilities, the courteousness of our staff members, and the functionality of our infrastructure.”

On Monday, Powder Horn management posted a message on Facebook about the explosion.

“As many of you know, a great tragedy has befallen our Powder Horn community. Sadly, the two guests involved have succumbed to their injuries. Our thoughts and prayers are with their families,” the post said.

INVESTIGATION CONTINUES

The town of Old Orchard Beach limits campground operations to April 1 to Oct. 31 and requires campground owners to obtain a license from the town. Campground licenses can only be renewed after the fire chief, building inspector and electrical and plumbing inspectors sign an approval form indicating the campground is in compliance with all codes, according to the town charter.

Old Orchard Beach Fire Chief John Gilboy said inspections for those licenses only include common areas and buildings, not individual campsites. He said the department would only inspect a campsite if someone had reported a complaint. Gilboy said he doesn’t recall any recent complaints at Powder Horn.

Efforts to reach officials at the campground Monday were unsuccessful.

The town also requires campground owners to maintain a register of guests that includes information about recreational vehicles.

The state fire marshal’s office continues to investigate the Old Orchard Beach explosion. The Maine Solid Fuel Inspectors will help with a further analysis of the gas systems, according to fire officials. The fire marshal’s office is urging the public to consider installing gas detectors in any living space where propane or natural gas appliances are used.

Esler said during the news conference Monday that a rotten egg smell can signal a gas leak in a home or camper. The camper where the explosion occurred did not appear to have a gas detector, he said, but investigators did find a smoke detector.

“These detectors can alert occupants to dangerous gas buildup and provide valuable time to evacuate or take safety precautions,” Shannon Moss, spokesperson for the fire marshal’s office, said in a statement.

Though fewer than 15% of Maine households rely on propane for heat, according to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, explosions involving the fuel source have resulted in the injury or death of several Mainers in recent memory.

One 2019 blast in Farmington, which took the life of veteran firefighter Michael Bell, destroyed 11 mobile homes and an office building. Earlier this year, an Aroostook County man died while attempting to use a propane tank to thaw a frozen water tank.