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EXPLOSION, FIRE ROCK TIRENERGY

OSHA called in to investigate second blast in 6 months at the Plainfield recycling plant.

02/23/00

By JOE NIXON Of The Morning Call

An explosion blew out windows and started a small roof fire Tuesday morning at the Tirenergy Corp. tire recycling operation in Plainfield Township, near Wind Gap.

Two minor injuries were reported, but neither was directly related to the explosion, said Plainfield Fire Chief Tim Frankenfield. One firefighter from Pen Argyl was hurt when he fell on a patch of ice, and a Tirenergy worker suffered a head injury when he hit a piece of equipment while evacuating the building.

Frankenfield said the explosion, which happened about 10 a.m., occurred in a piece of equipment at the recycling plant. A small fire that resulted from the blast was under control in about 10 minutes, Frankenfield said. Workers told him "some sort of pressure relief blew'' on the equipment, which was about five feet below the roof line.

Because of an explosion in August at the facility that killed one man and injured two others, fire officials called the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to the scene. The employees killed and injured in the August incident were not employees of Tirenergy but worked for Active Oil Services Inc. of Newark, N.J. Active was contracted by Tirenergy to clean an underground storage tank that contained 4,400 gallons of oil that was a byproduct of tire processing.

OSHA earlier this month proposed a penalty of more $140,000 against Active Oil in connection with the August incident, and $2,850 against Tirenergy. OSHA sent a compliance officer to the scene Tuesday, but further information was not immediately available, said Tom Doherty, response team leader with the agency.

Tirenergy did not return a telephone call Tuesday seeking comment. Employees at the scene declined to speak with the press.

In addition to Pen Argyl, Wind Gap fire crews responded. http://www.mcall.com/html/news/easton/b123tirenergy.htm

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 23, 2000