Purple haze! Maine residents baffled by mysterious magenta vapor filling the sky

They’re smoking mad about this purple plume.

Maine residents were baffled and outraged by a mysterious purple vapor that filled the sky in Portland on Thursday and Friday — calling it potentially hazardous pollution fit for a supernatural horror story, according to reports.

Workers first spotted the magenta vapor billowing from the smokestack at the Ecomaine waste energy plant on Thursday morning, likely due to burning iodine, wmtw.com reported.

“Isn’t this how @StephenKing books begin?,” tweeted Alexander Hitchen, who snapped photos of the eerie scene. 

Ecomaine claimed the purple pollution — which can cause health problems  — was halted within hours, but it reappeared Friday, according to the station.

“This was probably caused by a larger than normal amount of iodine present in the waste stream all at once,” Kevin Roche, CEO of Ecomaine, said Thursday. “Fortunately, our plant employees were able to correct the situation in 2 ½ hours and get the plant back to normal operations.

“While vaporized iodine can pose health risks if directly inhaled, it is very unlikely anyone had direct exposure due to the relatively short time the incident occurred and its location,” the firm said in a statement.

Iodine vapor can be an irritant and may cause stomach pain if it’s inhaled or comes in contact with a person’s skin, according to the CDC.

Long-term exposure could lead to insomnia, inflammation of the eyes and nose, bronchitis, tremors, rapid heartbeat, diarrhea, and weight loss.

Locals were fuming over the vapor Friday.

“This company lies like it’s their job,” tweeted Willie James Huff, who claimed to be a former employee of Ecomaine.

Ecomaine and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection were investigating Friday, according to the Bangor Daily News.

The firm didn’t immediately  return The Post’s request for comment Friday.