By Rick Rogers, Of the Carthage Press

Workers of Dyno Nobel in Carthage were giving each other hugs in the parking lot of the Carthage Fire Department Wednesday afternoon after an explosion forced an evacuation of the explosives plant.

According to Robert Wyler, production manager and plant spokesperson, the explosion occured at 3:35 p.m.

Reports indicated that the explosion took place in a batch nitrator, a piece of equipment used to make explosives. Company officials would not confirm where the explosion took place.

Tremors from the explosion reportedly could be felt as far away as Webb City and on 32nd Street in Joplin. No homes were evacuated due to the explosion.

Wyler said only minor injuries to workers had been treated, and that no one was seriously injured or killed in the explosion.

The incident took place during a shift change at the plant. All workers were evacuated and sent to the Carthage Fire Department to sign-in.

Dyno Nobel employs approximately 285 workers.

Wyler said that all employees present during the explosion were accounted for.

He could not say whether there was any damage to the plant.

The Jasper County Sheriff's Department, the Carthage Fire Department, and EMS crews were dispatched to the scene.

Hector Gonzalez, a Dyno Nobel employee who was present during the incident, said the force of the explosion knocked him to the ground.

"It happened real fast," Gonzalez said.

"I heard a big explosion, then I dropped, and then just ran out of there. I left my car there and everything.

"I felt it and it knocked us pretty good. It shocked everyone."

This is the second incident at Dyno Nobel this month, and the third in 13 months.

About 180 workers were evacuated from the plant May 9 when an estimated 3,500 pounds of mixed acid leaked from a storage tank.

No injuries were reported in that incident.

The Dyno plant was also evacuated on April 29, 1999, when a fire destroyed two warehouses and a nitric acid recovery unit.

http://www.carthagepress.com/display/inn_news/news1.txt

-- Doris (number9@mindspring.com), May 25, 2000