Thursday, June 01, 2000
Fire, explosion at plant injures 10 firefighters
By William A. Weathers
The Cincinnati Enquirer
HARLAN TOWNSHIP — A fire and explosion inside a wood chipper dryer at a manufacturing plant injured 11 people, including 10 firefighters, Wednesday afternoon.
Two of the injured firefighters were flown to University Hospital with second- and third-degree burns to their faces and arms. They were identified as Goshen Township Fire Chief Virgil Murphy and Goshen Township Lt. Leo Reising. Their conditions were not available Wednesday night, but authorities said Chief Murphy also suffered respiratory burns.
Authorities responded to L&M Animal Farm, 5374 Long Spur-
ling Road, about 10 miles east of Paramount's Kings Island in Warren County, at about 5:45 p.m.
The 11th victim was Jamie Drussel, an L&M employee who was assisting firefighters. He and the eight other injured were taken to local hospitals. Their conditions were also not available.
The fire originated in the dryer, an 8-by-15-foot metal cylindrical container, said William Kramer, chief of Deerfield Township Fire Department, spokesman for the firefighters on the scene.
Firefighters had surrounded the dryer and were putting water on it when the explosion occurred, Chief Kramer said.
“The explosion occurred about a half-hour into the fire,” he said. He said it was a “sudden” explosion.
L&M Animal Farm manufactures pet products, including bedding.
“The dryer operation caused the fire. Exactly how, we're not sure,” Chief Kramer said, adding that firefighters had been called to the business at least once before.
Estimates of damage, considered minor, were not available. The business was temporarily shut down Wednesday night. Crews on the scene, along with the state fire marshal, are inves tigating.
“I saw no life-threatening injuries,” Chief Kramer said, adding that the injured firefighters had used air masks but not face protectors.
He said it is common for firefighters not to use the face pieces during an outdoor fire because visibility is hindered.
At least eight ambulances and eight fire agencies responded: Harlan Township, Goshen Township, Hamilton Township, Morrow Township, Mason, Deerfield Township, Union Township-South Lebanon and Loveland.
David Eck, Jim Hannah and Marie McCain contributed to this report.
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