Tag: Explosion

GAS EXPLOSION ROUTS PLANT WORKERS

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, October 9, 1991

The Record (New Jersey) | 6 Star | NEWS | Page B02

A natural gas line outside a power station at the Garden State Paper Co. ruptured Tuesday, causing an explosion that sent fireballs into the air and routed about 115 employees from four surrounding plants, authorities said.
Fire Chief Sean Delahanty said the only confirmed injury was to John Czujko, his first assistant chief, who was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. Although neither police nor fire officials could confirm any other injury, employees at the neighboring Zumtobel Lighting said a colleague was taken to the hospital with burns on his forehead.
The man leaped out of his car just after the pipe exploded, said Ben Perez of Paterson, a sheet-metal fabricator at the company, which is next to the power station.
“The explosion happened right in front of him,” Perez said. “He didn’t know what happened. He got out of his car and ran with everyone down Kipp Avenue.”
Three cars belonging to Garden State Paper employees and a backhoe owned by an independent contractor were destroyed by the ensuing fire, which was fed by natural gas shooting out of the pipe until it was shut it off.
Officials could not say how the leaking gas was ignited. They also could not say how many employees were inside the four-story power station at the time of the explosion, but said all got out safely.
Rich King, plant manager for King Finishing, a powder coating firm, said he ran back into his building and escaped from the back dock after seeing the explosion, which someone called in to the Police Department about 2:45 p.m.
“We no sooner walked outside and there was this fireball,” King said. “I ran through the plant and yelled, `Everybody get out.”
Margo Lane, communications manager for Garden State Paper, said she had no information on the cause of the explosion but said it effectively shut down the company’s operation because the station is the only power source for the plant, which processes recycled newsprint. The company’s main building, about two blocks from the power station and containing about 250 workers, was not evacuated.
About 85 firefighters from Garfield, Lodi, Wallington, Maywood, Rochelle Park, Saddle Brook, and Elmwood Park fought the blaze.

Keywords: GARFIELD; BUSINESS; EXPLOSION; FIRE

ID: 17357550 | Copyright © 1991, The Record (New Jersey)

ELECTRICAL EXPLOSIONS ROCK AREA IN DUMONT

By Michael O. Allen, Record Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 7, 1990

The Record (New Jersey) | Four Star B | NEWS | Page B01

Two underground electrical explosions shook downtown Dumont Tuesday, injuring a 46-year-old borough woman, cutting off power to more than 1,000 residents, and shutting down several businesses for the day.

Public Service Electric and Gas Co. officials and technicians did not know the cause of the first explosion, which occurred shortly before 1 p.m. Tuesday, said Walter Kyle, a PSE & G division operations supervisor. Kyle said he believed the second was caused by current released by the first.

“We know, essentially, that something blew up in the hole here,” Kyle said. “Exactly what, we don’t know. “

Except for the Madison Avenue business district, electricity was restored to much of the affected area about two hours after the explosion, Kyle said.

Amelia Garcia, who was standing behind the Frontier Restaurant and Bar at Park and Madison avenues when the second explosion occurred, was hit by flying debris. She was treated for cuts on both legs at Englewood Hospital and released.

Dumont Police Chief William Groesbeck said there was a similar explosion at the intersection of Madison and Washington avenues two months earlier.

Groesbeck said he urged PSE & G officials to work through the night to correct the problem. Madison Avenue was blocked off between Washington and Railroad avenues to allow the technicians to identify the problem and correct it, he said.

The explosion caused severe traffic delays along Washington Avenue and roads intersecting it.

Caption: (Photo ran alone in 3p) COLOR PHOTO – LINDA RADIN / THE RECORD – Utility workers inspecting the scene of one of two underground explosions that shook downtown Dumont Tuesday, leaving one woman injured and cutting off power to more than 1,000 residents. The blasts also caused traffic tie-ups.

ID: 17322502 | Copyright © 1990, The Record (New Jersey)