Two workers killed in explosions and fire at Ohio recycling plant
Two workers were killed and several others injured after a series of explosions and a massive fire ripped through an industrial recycling building in Toledo, Ohio, early on Aug. 18, according to local officials.
Firefighters were dispatched around 4:50 a.m. after multiple 911 callers reported an explosion and heavy flames at the Brent Industries facility, said Toledo Fire and Rescue Chief Allison Armstrong. Crews arriving at the scene found intense fire and thick smoke, with part of the structure already collapsed.
“Very challenging conditions for both the employees to evacuate and the fire and rescue department,” Armstrong said during a news conference.
Hours later, firefighters located the bodies of two employees — a man and a woman — inside the building. Two or three other workers suffered minor injuries and were treated at the scene, Armstrong said.
Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz said the explosions occurred as a shift change was underway, which likely contributed to the number of people in or near the building at the time. The response involved an unusually large number of units because of the building’s size, the presence of hazardous materials on site and initial reports that workers may have been trapped, officials said.
By mid-afternoon, parts of the building were still burning and smoldering as fire crews worked to contain the blaze and protect nearby businesses and structures. Armstrong noted that unstable conditions at the site — including risks of further explosions and structural collapse — made firefighting efforts more complicated.
The cause of the explosions remains under investigation by the Toledo Fire and Rescue Department.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said it was notified through the National Response Center around 9 a.m. local time and dispatched personnel from Ann Arbor, Michigan, to assist with air monitoring and environmental assessment.
“When we arrived shortly after, the fire of the tanks was pretty much extinguished,” said EPA on-scene coordinator Jon Gulch. “So at that point we were left with just the white smoke, and we've done air monitoring around and in the plume.”
Air monitoring did not detect hazardous levels of contaminants, indicating no immediate threat to the surrounding community, Gulch said.
Brent Industries, based in Brent, Alabama, specializes in textile reconditioning and industrial recycling services, helping companies reduce waste and cut costs, according to its website. Founded in 1977, the company operates facilities in Alabama and Ohio.
This was not the first fatal incident at a Brent Industries plant. In 2015, an explosion and fire at the company’s Alabama facility killed one worker and injured several others, according to The Tuscaloosa News, part of the USA TODAY Network.
Investigators from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration later determined that the 2015 blast occurred in an industrial laundering and dry cleaning operation that used mineral spirits, a petroleum-based solvent, to clean shop towels and gloves, records show.
OSHA cited Brent Industries for nine serious workplace safety violations involving flammable liquids, hazard communication, exit routes and protective equipment, and issued a fine that was later reduced to $27,300, according to records.
USA TODAY has reached out to Brent Industries and OSHA for comment on the latest incident and the company’s safety history.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 2 workers dead after explosions, fire at Ohio recycling building