Explosion at Precision Fiber Plant in Wilkes County Injures 6

March 28, 2012
9:37 am

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Explosion at Precision Fiber Plant in Wilkes County Injures 6

03/22/2012 // WPB, FL, USA // Injury Lawyers News // Nicole Howley

Wilkes County, NC — Four Precision Fiber plant employees and two Ronda firefighters were injured, following an explosion on Tuesday afternoon, March 21, 2012. The blast ignited around 1 p.m., in a dust silo that collects newspaper dust, reported the Journal Patriot.

According to reports, the explosion occurred in the newspaper dust silo, which is a by-product from the manufacturing of mulch from old newspapers.

Responding emergency crews from Wilkes Emergency Medical Services rushed three employees, who suffered burns, to Hugh Chatham Memorial Hospital in Elkin. A fourth employee, who suffered serious burns, was taken to Baptist Hospital in Elkin.

All four employees sustained facial flash burns and burns on their heads from the explosion’s extreme heat.

Officials believe the more seriously injured employee who was taken to Baptist, may have suffered tracheal burns from inhaling the hot air.

The employees’ identities are being withheld at this time.

The heat also overcame two firefighters, who were spraying water around the dust silo, while in full gear. The temperatures in Ronda were reportedly at 82 degrees. The injured firefighters identities are also unknown at this time.

Investigations into the workplace accident are underway. Investigators with the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are expected to arrive at the scene to conduct their own investigation.