PEMISCOT COUNTY, Mo. -- A 56-year-old Steele, Mo., man was injured following an explosion at the Natural Biodiesel Plant on Friday.
According to information provided by the Pemiscot County Sheriff's Office, at approximately 8:15 a.m., the Hayti, Mo., Fire Department was dispatched to the Natural Biodiesel Plant on Highway J in rural Pemiscot County after a 911 caller stated that there had been an explosion and one person was injured. The caller also stated that there was a small fire which had been contained and the injured person, later identified as Bill Farley, was being transported by personal vehicle to Pemiscot Memorial Hospital at Hayti.
Lt. Ryan Holder arrived on the scene a few minutes later and was directed to the rear of the plant area.
"In speaking with employee's, I learned Bill Farley, co-owner at the biodiesel plant, was dumping resin into what the employee's refer to as 'Tower One'," Holder said in a written statement. "Approximately 15 buckets has been poured into Tower One and that was when the explosion occurred."
Holder said another employee stated that he was on the catwalk with Farley at the time, and was taking the empty buckets and throwing them down to another employee. The employee said that after the explosion, Farley had fell on top of him causing minor burns to his back.
Holder said the Hayti Fire Department arrived and used precautionary measures to make sure there wasn't any other fire dangers and used their equipment to remove the smoke from the plant.
According to Holder, due to the fact that there was an explosion at a commercial business and an injury was received by an employee, he made the decision to contact the Missouri Fire Marshal's Office and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Holder said he later met with Butch Amann, investigator with the Missouri Fire Marshal's Office, and assisted him with interviews of employees at the plant who were there at the time of the explosion.
At this time, the explosion is being ruled as an accident, according to Holder.
"At this time, it is undetermined what caused the explosion but [it is being] ruled as an accident."