Business Breaking News

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Hospital: 10 hurt, at least 2 critically, in explosion at steel foundry in southwest Illinois

By: Jim Suhr And Jim Salter, The Associated Press

Thursday, Mar. 7, 2013 at 11:34 PM | Comments: 0

This image from video provided by KMOV-TV in St. Louis shows an injured worker being helped into an ambulance outside the American Steel plant in Granite City, Ill., Thursday, March 7, 2013, where an explosion injured at least 10 people, three critically. (AP Photo/Courtesy KMOV-TV in St. Louis) TELEVISION OUT

ST. LOUIS - At least 10 people were injured, including two critically, in an explosion Thursday at a steel castings plant in southwestern Illinois, officials said.

The blast happened shortly after 8 a.m. in the cleaning-and-finishing department at the American Steel Foundries plant in Granite City, just northeast of St. Louis. The explosion occurred after gas caught fire in the finishing area of the plant, which makes railcar components, though what caused the ignition wasn't known, Granite City Fire Captain Bert Houston said late Thursday night.

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

Seven workers treated for smoke inhalation at Gateway Regional Medical Center were released later Thursday, while three others were flown by helicopter to other Missouri hospitals, Gateway spokeswoman Kate Allaria said.

Two of them were listed in critical condition later Thursday at Mercy Hospital in Creve Coeur, spokeswoman Bethany Pope said. It wasn't immediately clear where the other worker was being treated. Houston said he was aware of only two workers being critically injured.

Federal workplace safety officials are investigating the cause of the blast. Calls and emails to the business went unanswered Thursday.

Robert Lott, a worker at the plant and president of the United Steelworkers Local 1063, told the Belleville News-Democrat that at least two of those injured may have suffered broken legs and internal injuries. He said he believed the blast was caused by a gas leak.

"I could see flames, initially, and then the visibility went down to zero from the dust that fell from the rafters," said Lott, who said he was about 100 yards from where the blast happened.

Right said the union was sending an investigator to the Granite City plant "to make sure we learn the lessons and really understand what happened."

"At this point everything is pretty sketchy, and we really don't like to comment on causes until we have them tied down," he said.

___

Associated Press writer Herbert G. McCann contributed to this report from Chicago.

Rate this
This article has not yet been rated.

We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high. If you thought it was well written, do the same. If it doesn’t meet your standards, mark it accordingly.

You can also register and/or login to the site and join the conversation by leaving a comment.

Rate it yourself by rolling over the stars and clicking when you reach your desired rating. We want you to tell us what you think of our articles. If the story moves you, compels you to act or tells you something you didn’t know, mark it high.

Sort by: Newest to Oldest | Oldest to Newest | Most Popular 0 Comments

You can comment on most stories on brandonsun.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

There are no comments at the moment. Be the first to post a comment below.

Post Your Comment

The Brandon Sun does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. Comments are moderated before publication. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.