Explosion Felt Two Miles Away

On the afternoon of December 19, 2012 there was an explosion at a scrap processor in the state of Indiana in the United States. Here is the story:

Fire crews responded to a fire and explosion last month at an aluminium shredding company in the Midwest in the United States. No injures were reported and the shock wave of the explosion could be felt two-miles away.

An initial investigation indicates that a fire and explosion occurred a debris catcher near the rear of the factory. Other reports indicate that a dust collector exploded. 

The local fire chief said when police and fire crews arrived shortly after 3:15 p.m., there were no flames visible, and the sprinkler system had activated.

The fire chief said the fire was contained within the building's dust collector system which was made of metal. The explosion caused "considerable" damage to the building and the collector system. 

About 25 employees were outside the building and safe when crews arrived. The fire department said the cause of the explosion remains under investigation.

The APSB would like to congratulate this facility on successfully implementing an emergency evacuation all of their employees after the explosion. 

The Occupational Health & Safety Administration (OSHA) has a good document titled "How To Plan for Workplace Emergencies and Evacuations." It can be viewed here:

Does your plant have an emergency evacuation plan? 

If so, when was your last practice drill?