ATTLEBORO, Mass. (AP) - One person was hospitalized with burns and 19 others were taken to hospitals for evaluation Monday after a chemical mixture used to clean jewelry exploded at a business that makes gold and silver alloys.
Employees at Stern-Leach Co. caused the minor explosion when they tried to mix sodium cyanide and hydrogen peroxide solutions totaling about 2 1/2 gallons under a fume hood, said Ed Coletta, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection.
Company employees routinely mix the chemicals, and there was no immediate explanation for the explosion, Coletta said.
About 200 people evacuated the building shortly after the explosion, and one worker was taken to a hospital in Providence, R.I., for treatment of burns, fire Capt. Keith Jackson said. He said 29 people were decontaminated at the scene by hazardous materials crews, and 19 people were taken to area hospitals.
"Cleanup crews are on the scene and the company is shut down for the day," Jackson said.
There does not appear to be a risk to the general public, Coletta said.
A security guard who answered the phone at the company said no one was immediately available for comment.
Stern-Leach, a division of the British company Cookson Group PLC, makes precious metal alloys for use by jewelry manufacturers, silversmiths, mints and for other applications, according to its Web site.
On the Web:
Stern-Leach Co.: http://www.sternleach.com |