A dozen factory workers were hospitalized as a result of a factory fire in Jamestown on Sept. 10. The fire began at about 5:45 a.m. that morning in the Kinsman Road plant which manufactures tear gas and other tactical munitions. According to the local fire chief, the blaze occurred in a section of the facility normally used to manufacture gas canisters. He described the fire as small and said that it was soon extinguished by the company’s newly installed sprinkler system.
The employees were injured when they inhaled a non-lethal gas known to cause skin irritation, and were transported to the UPMC Horizon Hospital in Greenville where they were treated for breathing problems.
This was reportedly the second fire in five months at the facility and the fourth fire since November, 2011. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration currently has three open investigations at the same facility, and the agency has issued 24 citations against the company since 2007.
At workplaces where dangerous materials are stored, injuries may be caused by a number of hazards. Chemical spills, fire, and explosions could potentially lead to serious injury or death. Any worker who is suffering because of a workplace accident may consider talking to an attorney experienced in these matters. Such an attorney, after a full investigation, may be able to correctly identify the cause of the accident.
Injured workers, as well as their family members, will require significant help financially to pay medical bills and to compensate for lost wages and other expenses incurred because of the accident. An attorney may be able to educate the injured person about the workers’ compensation claim process and explain how it may be used to recover monetary compensation.
Source: WKBN, “12 hospitalized in munitions plant fire”, September 10, 2013