One worker was killed and eight others were hospitalized after an explosion that occurred in a General Motors plant on July 2. Quaker Chemical Corp., a Pennsylvania-based chemical manufacturer that provides contract services at the plant, announced that the decedent was one of its employees. The incident occurred at the company’s metal-stamping facility near Fort Wayne, Indiana at approximately 1:50 p.m. According to the news source, a spokesperson for the automaker sent out an e-mail stating that a member of a contract team was killed by a ‘small chemical explosion.”
Of the eight people brought to the hospital, four suffered injuries that were not life-threatening. The other four people did not require medical treatment once they had arrived at the hospital. Emergency and fire department personnel arrived at the scene after the accident occurred, and GM stated that an investigation into the incident was taking place.
According to the automaker’s website, more than 1,600 people are employed at its Marion Metal Center in Indiana. The facility provides stampings and blanks and assembles sheet metal for vehicles at GM assembly plants throughout the continent.
The workers injured by the explosion may speak with legal counsel about filing a workers’ compensation claim for medical bills and any income lost if they are unable to return to work for an extended period of time. Additionally, attorneys may be able to help those workers seek compensation from the manufacturer of the piece of equipment that caused the explosion. That potential defendant could be found liable for the accident in a civil suit if there were evidence that it provided defective machinery to the plant.
Source: Bloomberg, “One Worker Dies, Eight Injured After Blast at GM Plant“, Tim Higgins, July 01, 2014