Over a dozen people were injured and one person was killed when a metal factory exploded in Ohio on Monday, causing fires and resulting in “multiple burn victims” inside the plant, police said.
Explosion at metal factory leaves 1 dead, 14 injured
An explosion occurred on Monday at metals factory I. Schumann & Co., which manufactures brass and bronze alloy. The factory is located in Oakwood, Ohio.
Witnesses reported hearing a “big boom” shortly after 2:15 p.m. Due to the size of the resulting explosion, crews from multiple cities were sent to the metal factory, Fox 8 reported.
The explosion happened shortly after 2 p.m., sparking fires and leading to “multiple burn victims” inside the plant. The injured were taken to a local hospital, Bedford Heights Police Department Sgt. Robert Majer told ABC News.
While the factory was described as a “very safe place,” Oakwood Village Fire Captain Brian DiRocco said, “It’s a foundry, so you’re dealing with molten hot metal, so there’s always an inherent danger.”
A Fox 8 helicopter flying overhead captured the huge plume of smoke coming from the building, with debris scattered hundreds of yards away and a large chunk of the building missing. Several nearby cars were crushed by falling debris and caught fire. The debris also hit the roof of a store next door to the factory.
The billowing smoke could be seen for miles, its size large enough to trigger detection on weather radar for a short time before it began to disperse into the atmosphere.
Residents in multiple communities reported a foul odor, similar to burning oil, in the air following the incident. The Broadview Heights Fire Department told residents the odor was likely to linger for a while.
Rescue efforts at foundry
Varying reports listed the number of people injured as 13-14, with one dead and at least two in critical condition. First responders had to pull at least one person from the rubble before transporting the victim to the hospital.
The identity of the person who died was not released, other than being described by the Cuyahoga County Medical Examiner’s Office as a 46-year-old man.
The cause of the fire is still under investigation, Oakwood Village Fire Captain Brian DiRocco said during a press conference, People reported.
A spokesperson for I. Schumann & Co, the metal supply company, said the explosion left “significant damage to the facility.”
Similar incident in 2006
Five workers were injured after molten metal at the same factory occurred in April 2006, according to WKYC. In that incident, none of the injuries were serious.
