GREENVILLE, Mich. — The Greenville Department of Public Safety (GDPS) released new details surrounding the explosion at Dicastal earlier this month.
The incident happened March 17 when authorities say sparks from a hand grinder ignited aluminum dust, injuring one employee.
The fire was put out with “dry chemicals” due to the potentially adverse reactions water could have had with magnesium.
READ MORE: Officials reveal what set off Dicastal explosion
The latest report from GDPS shows a new employee operated the hand grinder that sparked the explosion, citing information obtained during an interview with one of his coworkers. They say he had started working at the facility two weeks prior.
The employee had been warned that a valve failure prevented dust from flowing into a 50-gallon drum. He was reportedly told he needed to take out the valve to observe the activity inside of it.
We’re told the employee started cutting the steel bolts with the hand grinder, and the explosion shortly followed. He incurred severe burns to his arms, hands and neck. The report states 30% of his body was singed, some of which included third-degree burns.
GDPS interviewed another employee who said the explosion caused him to lose his hearing, which has since started to return.
The report concludes by reaffirming the explosion was the result of an accident.
READ MORE: Greenville reacts after another fire extinguished at Dicastal factory
