Explosion leads to workplace injuries in North Carolina

A serious workplace incident in North Carolina recently led to multiple employees being injured. Reports stated that there was an explosion and fire that took place at a trucking company loading dock at approximately 6 a.m. One witness described the scene as something from a movie as the explosion occurred and people began running. Emergency crews were called to the scene, and workplace injuries were reported.

Due to the severity of the incident, it took approximately 90 firefighters about two hours to get the flames under control. At the time of the report, it was unclear what may have caused the explosion. Workers stated that there was a variety of materials inside the warehouse that could have contributed to the explosion and fire, including hazardous chemicals, fireworks and propane tanks.

Five workers suffered injuries that required medical attention at an area hospital. Two of those individuals had potentially life-threatening injuries, and one other was also seriously injured. The two remaining workers had injuries that were considered minor. At the time of the report, four of those individuals were still hospitalized. It was also noted that several employees were examined at the loading dock.

On-the-job accidents are always unfortunate, especially when workplace injuries occur. Because multiple North Carolina workers were injured in this incident, it may be possible for them to be awarded workers’ compensation. These benefits may provide financial assistance for issues arising from related medical expenses and lost wages during recovery. If these workers would like more information on potentially obtaining these benefits, consulting with an experienced attorney may be useful.

Source: wsoctv.com, “6 hospitalized after explosion, 4-alarm fire at north Charlotte trucking company”, Liz Foster and Joe Bruno, July 20, 2016