Explosion  –  Technological Disasters

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08.03.2013 Explosion USA State of Illinois, Gantie City [Amsted Rail Company] Damage level
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Explosion in USA on Friday, 08 March, 2013 at 03:53 (03:53 AM) UTC.

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An explosion at a steel plant in Granite City Thursday morning injured 9 workers. It happened just after 8 a.m. at the Amsted Rail Company. The force of the blast sent workers flying through the air. Clifford McIntyre, a steel worker, went to helped his fellow employees who were injured. He said, “All I heard was an explosion when I went back to see what was going on I seen a couple of my Union brothers out and on fire.” Fire Chief Tim Connolly said, “They said there was a gas explosion.” United Steel Union V.P. Bobby Washington was working inside the plant. “When the explosion happened they don’t know what it was but it blew workers from their job and they were damaged and burning,” he said. Workers became one, rescuing the injured. McIntyre said, “First reaction was to put him out with my jacket and then another union brother came over with a fire extinguishers and put him out.”

Two of the workers were airlifted the Mercy Hospital’s burn unit. The seven others were treated at Gateway Regional Medical Center. Connolly said, “They looked like they were in some kind of coal mine work. Their faces were black around their mouths.” He said paramedics worried about the victims who may have inhaled superheated gases. “They’ll breathe that in. It will burn everything all the way down. It will affect he lungs we can’t see those things,” he stated. Company officials said their employees’ well being is their top priority. Amsted makes parts of the wheel assembly for train cars. The explosion happened in an area called the cleaning and finishing department. McIntyre said, “It was real scary and upset. I ain’t seen nothing like that in my life and when I seen it, I was like in shock.” Washington added, “Very frightening, emotions are still high.” OSHA has investigated two complaints at the company in the past five years. It found no violations. At last report the two men being treated in the burn union were in critical condition. Four of the seven other victims were treated and released from the Granite City hospital.

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2 critical after explosion at Granite City steel plant


KMOV.com

Posted on March 7, 2013 at 8:55 AM

Updated today at 9:27 AM

 

GRANITE CITY, Ill. (KMOV) – Nine people were injured in an explosion at the AmstedRail plant in Granite City Thursday morning.

According to officials, at least two people were standing on a platform at the plant in the 1000 block of Niedringhaus Ave. when it exploded around 8:10 a.m. According to officials, the victims were in the cleaning and finishing department.

According to a spokesperson at Gateway Regional Medical Hospital, seven people were transported to the hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation. Three of those victims have since been released.

Two others were flown by helicopter from Gateway to Mercy Hospital in St. Louis in critical condition. The remained in critical condition Thursday night.

Roughly 800 people work at the plant where the company produces railcar undercarriages and related components, said Mike Right, the United Steelworkers union’s health, safety and environment chief.

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