State Fire Marshall's Office investigators look into industrial explosion
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The State Fire Marshall's Office is investigating an industrial explosion at a business on Evans Avenue. Video by fox4now.com
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FORT MYERS, Fla. - The State Fire Marshall's Office is investigating an industrial explosion at a business on Evans Avenue.
It happened just after 6 a.m. Friday at the Pall Corporation.
"Units arrived on scene, the building was being evacuated by staff we had a large column of smoke," said Vincent DiCristofalo with the Fort Myers Fire Department.
"We did a quick check to make sure everyone was out of the building."
An estimated 100 employees were inside when an industrial oven (used to "bake" aerospace and other high tech products) exploded.
Two people were taken to the hospital, but officials say no one was seriously hurt.
"Our thoughts and prayers are with our employees," said Bartley Conderman, a vice-president with Pall.
He also said the explosion happened "no where near chemicals" and no one in the area had anything to worry about in terms of breathing the air.
"There was no exposure to chemicals, no aftermath of chemicals," said Conderman.
Pall uses a number of chemcials to make it's products.
"We make water filtration systemns, purify oils, brake fluids and fuel systems," said Conderman.
As luck would have it, the company just recently did routine training to prepare for such an emergency.
"Just a week prior to this, we had a fire drill," said Conderman.
"We can replace parts of our building..but our employees, our thoughts and prayers with them."
The plant closed for the day after the explosion.
Company officials say they will be in touch with employees to let them know when they can return to their jobs.
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