Four people were injured in an explosion at the Nestlé Purina plant in Flagstaff late Sunday afternoon. As Arizona Public Radio’s Ryan Heinsius reports, two are now listed in good condition at the Arizona Burn Center in Phoenix.
Both were transported to the Maricopa Medical Center soon after the blast, one by helicopter and the other by ground. The two other victims, who had less severe burns, were treated at the Flagstaff Medical Center.
Flames from welding equipment touched off the grain-dust explosion. Fire officials say the blast blew multiple metal doors of their hinges at the facility. They say the flames were isolated and didn’t spread to other parts of the plant.
Matt Smyers is a captain with the Flagstaff Fire Department. He says crews responded to the incident in about two minutes.
“There could have been a lot of things that could have been factors in making this thing go the wrong way. Our crews were able to get on scene and assess those patients and they were transported almost immediately to the hospital. They got care very, very quickly,” Smyers said.
Smyers says the Purina Plant remains partially open and the incident is under investigation. He says the explosion is the first major accident at the nearly 40-year-old plant.
