JAY — Two men were injured in a mishap at the Androscoggin Mill Friday afternoon, one of them severely enough that he had to be taken by helicopter to a Portland hospital.

Details about the 5:30 p.m. mishap were still scant later in the night.

Early reports were that the more seriously injured man had been scalded by water or steam and that he was taken to Maine Medical Center. The second man was taken to Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, a company official said.

Verso Mill Communications Manager Cherilee Budrick said she did not have information about the injuries or the accident that caused them. She said both men were contractors who had been hired to do maintenance work at the mill. Their identities were not available.

The incident occurred at shift change, which is 5:30 p.m., at the mill. An investigation into the incident was expected to continue into the weekend.

Established in 1965, the mill employs 990 people operating five paper machines, according to Verso literature.