|
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||||||
 |
 |
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
|
|||||||||||||||
 |
|||||||||||||||
|
| Top Story | This story pubished online: Sunday, April 25, 2004 12:16 AM CDT |
Three Decatur residents among four dead from Formosa Plastics explosion
 |
||
 |
||
|
|
Sangamon County Coroner Susan Boone identified the fatal victims of the explosion as Decatur residents Joseph Machalek, 50; Larry Graves, 47; and Linda Hancock, 56. Glenn Lyman, 49, of Cornland, also was killed, Boone said. Autopsies for all four are scheduled for Monday.
Those killed at the site were found where the fire is believed to have started, Sangamon County Sheriff Neil Williamson said. There were 18 employees in the building at the time; six people were unhurt.
Four injured workers were admitted to Springfield's Memorial Medical Center. Hospital spokesman Ed McDowall said two were in critical condition, one was in serious condition and one was in fair condition. Four others were treated for smoke inhalation at other hospitals.
Officials are uncertain what caused the explosion at 10:40 p.m. Friday and said a multi-agency investigation will get under way after the fire is extinguished. Plant Manager Roe Vadas also said a team of company investigators from the New Jersey corporate offices are coming to investigate the cause of the blast.
Chemicals involved in the fire were vinyl acetate and vinyl chloride, both used in the plastic plant's production of PVC resin pellets, Williamson said.
Some eyewitnesses of the explosion said they saw a mushroom cloud that shot directly up; some said they saw a bright orange ball of light, Williamson said. Noise from the explosion was heard at least 20 miles away. Subsequent explosions followed.
"I'm not a wartime Army vet, but this was the loudest explosion I've ever heard. I'm just thankful that any physical damage to the village of Illiopolis has been slight," said Illiopolis Mayor Allen Brickey, who was at his home near old U.S. 36 at the time of the explosion.
A power outage accompanied the initial blast, affecting 2,300 customers in Illiopolis, Niantic, Mechanicsburg, Dawson and some surrounding rural areas.
Although some reported the power going out before the explosion, Illinois Power Co. spokeswoman Natalie Hemmer said the explosion caused relays in the power substation to trip. Power was restored about 3:30 a.m.
Firefighters were paying close attention to 10 to 20 drums of methyl acrylic acid — a highly explosive material — that was in a nearby warehouse area, fearing another explosion if the material caught fire.
The availability of water to fight the fire became an issue very early. As a result, tanker trucks began shuttling water to the scene from neighboring communities.
By 6 a.m. Saturday, Niantic had provided 130,000 gallons, said Battalion Chief Randy Hiser. Hoses were finally hooked up to a 7 million gallon reservoir tank nearby, Williamson said.
Hiser was among the first firefighters from the Niantic department to respond to the mutual aid call. He said there were two "massive fires" and that the "whole center section" of the plant was engulfed in flames. He said the immediate concern was getting to injured workers and the threat of subsequent explosions.
Hiser was staffing the Niantic department Saturday afternoon after having worked the scene for more than 11 hours. He said firefighters from throughout the area would continue rotations at the scene until the fire was extinguished.
Illiopolis residents were advised to leave their homes Friday night, as officials were concerned toxic fumes were being released into the air. But on Saturday, Williamson said the smoke, though thick and possibly harmful to animals outside and near the plant, was not toxic.
Residents who live within two miles of the plant were advised to wash utensils and dishes and to get rid of any food that was out at the time of the blast. Illiopolis residents also are under a boil order.
A half-mile radius around the plant was still off-limits, and a no-fly zone was in effect in case of another explosion, he said.
All residents had been allowed back into their homes, however, Brickey said. He's asking residents to stay away from the site for the next couple of days, while crews finish their job.
Agencies including the Illinois State Police, Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Illinois Department of Public Health and the FBI were on scene, though Williamson said the federal agency most likely wouldn't be a part of the ongoing investigation.
"Nothing has been eliminated right now, but there doesn't appear to be anything that would lead us to believe it was terrorist related," he said.
Emergency workers transformed the parking lot of a local diner into a command center, flocked to by numerous media outlets from the region. A team of about 40 Red Cross volunteers from the area set up food inside Christine's Pit Stop, which closed for business after the explosion, and used Illiopolis High School as a shelter, said Valerie Friedrich, director of community relations for the American Red Cross.
In the hours immediately following the explosion, many displaced residents sought assistance at a Red Cross respite center operated in the Food Court of Hickory Point Mall in Forsyth.
The center provided food, blankets and teddy bears to comfort the many young children. The center operated from 12:15 to 5 a.m. Saturday, at which time the operation was moved to Mound Middle School and a shelter established. It closed at 7 a.m. after taking in no clients, said John Dickey, director of public support for the Mid-Illinois Chapter.
The Salvation Army also was working to comfort those affected by the fire.
One Red Cross volunteer said the strong support from the communities surrounding the village showed how the area bonds together in time of need.
"I think people in Central Illinois generally know what the next right thing is. And if that means helping your neighbor, then that's what you do," said Julie Chastain of Decatur.
Brickey commended the efforts of 15 surrounding fire departments, a number of nearby local officials and the many agencies that helped out in some way.
"I've been one to say in the past, and I'll say it again: A village is a location on a map; a community is the people," he said. "I've been absolutely amazed at the response from all directions."
Amy Hoak can be reached at ahoak@herald-review.com or 421-7972. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
printer
friendly version | 
e-mail
this story
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
 |