Seven injured after explosion at Texas plywood plant

[TexasTowelie]

Source: Houston Chronicle

Seven employees and one volunteer firefighter were injured in an explosion at a Georgia-Pacific lumber plant in Corrigan, about 20 miles north of Livingstone in Polk County.

Corrigan police say the call came in just after 6 p.m. Saturday that there had been a blast at the plant that produces plywood about 100 miles northeast of Houston.

Four medical helicopters and three ambulances were sent to the scene to pick up the injured. It's thought three were in critical condition, with a Corrigan Fire Department spokesperson reporting that the situation was "very bad."

The most seriously injured were brought to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/texas/article/Seven-injured-after-explosion-at-Texas-plywood-5433334.php

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ETA: This is a Georgia Pacific plant owned by the Koch brothers.

Second Edit: From KHOU.com -- According to firefighters, there was a problem with a sawdust collection system and the dust caught fire.

[onehandle]

1. I wonder if any of the injured voted to help Texas take away their worker's rights and protections?

And the Kochs smile...

[blkmusclmachine]

2. "This is a Georgia Pacific plant, and is owned by the Koch brothers."

[TexasTowelie]

3. I may be jumping to the gun,

but realizing who owns the plant and their influence in politics and ultimately the regulation of the plant is serious enough to raise concern. There is always some inherent danger in plants like the one in Corrigan, but it will be interesting to see what the follow-up investigation determines.

[silvershadow]

7. That was my first thought. nt

[Lint Head]

4. Texas.The wide open spaces of horse shit

and no regulation oversight. WAH HOO!

[TexasTowelie]

6. Corrigan, Texas is situated in an area near the Sam Houston and Angelina National Forests.

However, the racial composition of the town is over 42% African-American compared to 13% for the entirety of Polk County. I imagine that human resources are available at discounted rates.

[n2doc]

5. This toon came out just this week

Would be funny if it weren't so prophetic

[KittyWampus]

10. that toon is so right on. Damn.

[tofuandbeer]

8. Hence, Toyota decided to begin a move from California to Texas.

[davidpdx]

9. Skimping on safety due to lacks regulations would be my guess

Not only that, but I'd guess the taxpayers are probably on the hook for all the rescue response personal. Another Rick Perry fail.

[JoeyT]

11. GP Mills are dangerous as shit even when they're not blowing up.

That's out of a different GP mill. What you're looking at is a big block of concrete about ten feet across with pieces breaking off that are barely being held up by the rebar run through it. It's directly over a walkway and about 40 feet up.