Lee factory explosion injures two employees

Posted Thursday, July 31, 2008 6:36 am

The individuals, whose names were not released, were employees of Protective Armored Systems, and their injuries were described as non-life-threatening by Alan Sparks, deputy chief of the Lee Fire Department.

Sparks said that the explosion, which occurred shortly before 7:25 p.m., was caused by the company's autoclave, a large machine that fuses glass laminates and polycarbonate sheets to make bulletproof and bullet-resistant glass.

The autoclave uses sterilized, superheated steam to seal the layers together, according to the company's Web site.

The explosion, which blew a massive hole in the side of the building and dislodged the roof of the building from the surrounding walls, did not create smoke or fire, Sparks said.

Chunks of brick, glass, and insulation were strewn all over the perimeter of the building and parking lot, and Sparks said several cars in the vicinity had their windshields shattered from the falling debris.

The cause of the autoclave explosion was unknown, Sparks said, and, although there was nothing suspicious about the event, the state fire marshal had been contacted.