Explosion at Western Kentucky Factory Injures 4

Four people were injured Wednesday in western Kentucky, where an explosion occurred inside a plastics factory, officials said.

The accident happened shortly before 2 p.m. CST at Polymer Partners in Henderson.

Two people suffered serious burns and were flown to University of Louisville Hospital. Another person was in fair condition at Methodist Hospital in Henderson, The Gleaner reported. The fourth person was reportedly taken from the plant to St. Mary’s Medical Center in Evansville, the newspaper reported.

“There were some burn injuries,” said Henderson Fire Chief Danny Froehlich. “Three burn injuries and one smoke inhalation. As to the extent, I have no idea.”

No names were released, and an after-hours phone message left at the plant was not immediately returned.

Henderson County Emergency Management Director Larry Koerber said he did not know what caused the explosion. The state fire marshal was en route to investigate.

The explosion happened in the manufacturing area of the facility, and fire crews extinguished a minor fire near a machine, Froehlich said. He did not know if the plant shut down afterward.

Polymer Partners is a plastics compounding manufacturer. Figures published in The Gleaner in April 2010 said the company had 35 employees.

An Evansville man was injured at the plant in October 2002 and two others were treated for smoke inhalation after a mixing machine caught fire.