Officials: Man killed while mixing up explosives at home

LINCOLN, Maine – Maine investigators say a homeowner died in an explosion in his basement where he was experimenting with explosives.

The State Fire Marshal’s office says 67-year-old Robert Stuart was killed instantly Wednesday night while mixing up explosives at his home in Lincoln.

A State Police bomb team found five IEDs in the basement and exploded them in Stuart’s backyard.

Stuart’s wife told investigators her husband had been making devices to blow up tree stumps.

Stuart’s body was found in the basement where the explosion occurred. Officials say there was little damage to the house.

Investigators say they have called the FBI and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to track down where and when Stuart purchased bomb-making material.

___

This story has been corrected to show the explosion was Wednesday, not Thursday.