Dust Explosion Cause of Leominster Industrial Fire

LEOMINSTER, MA—State Fire Marshal Peter J. Ostroskey and Leominster Fire Chief Robert A. Sideleau II announced in a statement that the cause of Thursday’s fire at Spectro Coating Corporation, located at 101 Scott Drive, Leominster, was a dust explosion inside the manufacturing equipment. The incident occurred at about 7:20 a.m. and caused serious injuries to a worker who was transported to a local hospital. The company makes sound-cancelling carpet used in motor vehicles.

There was minimal damage to the building because the machinery had a fire suppression system incorporated into it and another worker used a fire extinguisher.

The cause of the fire was jointly investigated by state police assigned to the Office of the State Fire Marshal and Leominster Fire Department investigators. The Department of Fire Services’ Code Compliance and Enforcement Unit and the Leominster Fire Department have an ongoing investigation into any fire code issues. The federal Occupational Health and Safety Administration (OSHA) is conducting its own independent investigation into the worker’s injury.

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