UPDATED: Four Critically Injured in Chemical Explosion at North Andover Plant

Photo Credit: 7News.whdh.com

NORTH ANDOVER, MA - Four people were critically injured Thursday, Jan. 7, following a chemical explosion at the DOW Chemical Company in North Andover, according to authorities.

North Andover Fire Department and the Masssachusetts Department of Fire Services responded to 60 Willow St., site of Dow Chemical, for a chemical explosion around 2:30 p.m. Thursday.

North Andover Town Manager Amdrew Maylor said four people were taken to Lawrence General Hospital by ambulance, and from there, three of the victims were flown to Boston area hospitals by medical helicopters. He said a fifth person was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Lawrence General Hospital released the following information:

“Due to a chemical explosion, we received four critical patients with shrapnel injuries and burns. The patients were decontaminated outside the hospital, per our policy. Three of the patients where stabilized and transferred to Boston tertiary medical centers. The fourth patient is staying here at Lawrence General.”

Members of the fire investigation unit, the bomb squad and a Massachusetts Hazardous Materials Emergency Response team were summoned to the scene, according to state fire officials.

The chemical explosion was contained to the building, and there was never a risk to neighbors, Mr. Maylor said. Willow Road is located off of Route 114, and the evening commute was not significantly impacted by the explosion, according to Mr. Maylor.

The building may have been damaged, and will be assessed as soon as hazmat crews complete their work.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was notified, according to authorities.

The cause of the blast is under investigation.

A Dow spokesperson released a statement just after 6 Thursday night:

“An incident took place today at the Rohm and Haas North Andover, Massachusetts, facility. Local emergency personnel responded to the alarm and currently remain on the scene. All employees have been evacuated and the building is secure. Four employees were transported to area hospitals for medical treatment. Families of the impacted employees are being notified. There are no imminent community risks at this time. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families, friends and colleagues during this extremely difficult time. An investigation is underway to determine the cause of the incident.”

A worker was killed in a chemical explosion at the same plant in 2013. The cause of the explosion in 2013 was exposure of Trimethylindium, a pyrophoric chemical, to the air.

Metro Fire tweeted out a short time ago that the chemical in Thursday’s explosion was Trimethylindium, however the report is unconfirmed by state fire officials.

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