EASTMAN, Ga. — Three people were hurt Wednesday afternoon, and one person was airlifted to the hospital after an explosion at a plant in Eastman, according to Eastman Fire Chief Scotty Whitten.
Whitten said it happened at OHS Resources in the 500 block of Industrial Boulevard. He says they "process" hemp products.
The explosion started after saw dust caught fire while inside the exhaust pipe of a piece of machinery, Whitten said. He said people were welding in the area near the exhaust pipe, which ultimately started the fire and sparked the explosion.
Whitten didn't know the condition of the people who were hurt in the explosion but said one person's injuries were so bad they were airlifted to the hospital. He doesn't know what their condition is right now.
The actual fire was small, Whitten said, and it was put out quickly once firefighters arrived on the scene. He added that the fire did not cause any damage to the building.
He says OSHA was notified of the incident. We reached out OSHA for more information, but they did not immediately get back to us.
Whitten said they have had a couple of fires at industrial plants in recent memory, but they do a lot to prepare for those kinds of fires.
“My guys are responded quickly; they train on this. We pre-plan for each industry we have in Eastman," Whitten said. "They knew where they were going in, and how to extinguish it right away."
We made multiple attempts to reach out to OHS Resources for comment, but they have not gotten back to us.