2006 Falk Corporation explosion
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The 2006 Milwaukee explosion refers to the explosion of a 10,000 gallon propane tank at the Falk Corporation in the industrial Menomonee River Valley neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin on December 6 2006. 46 people were injured and at least three were killed. Cars were reportedly flipped through the air and debris scattered over several blocks.[1] The disaster is being investigated.
Falk Corporation
The Falk Corporation is a company that manufactures large industrial gears and couplings. It is based in Menomonee River Valley, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The complex there is over 61 acres, and has 1.5 million square feet of buildings. The building that exploded was located in one corner of the complex.
The building that housed propane tank was two separate structures joined together. One of the buildings was used as a warehouse for storing components used in the manufacturing process, and was called the Annex. The other building, called the 2-2 building, was a maintenance facility.
Explosion
Before the explosion, most of the workers had evacuated the building. Police Chief Nannette Hegerty stated that an evacuation had begun 10 to 14 minutes before the explosion. According to reports by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a Falk spokeswoman stated that that the evacuation was limited to the area near a propane leak. The Journal's report also stated that a man said that he tasted gas about thirty minutes before the explosion occurred. Another worker reported a 30,000 gallon propane tank leaking, and shut the tank off and issued a warning, but could still smell the gas. The Journal interviewed six employees that they were never formally evacuated because it would have lead them through the Annex building.[2]
At 8:07 A.M. Central time, approximately seven minutes after the start of the shift, a 10,000 gallon propane tank located in the dual building exploded. The explosion happened while workers were performing a test of the systems used to switch from natural gas to propane for heating the plant. The source of the blast is still being investigated, but experts say it could have been a pipe below the building.[3]
The explosion killed 3 people and injured 46. Debris landed several blocks away from the site of the explosion. Several cars were hurled through the air by the force of the blast. The explosion caused widespread damage to an area approximately the size of two football fields.[1]
The nearest fire station was just six blocks away. Firefighters were initially alerted by the force of the explosion buckling the fire station door. Originally it was thought that a car had struck the fire station, but when firefighters went outside, they quickly realized this was not the case. One of the drivers soon spotted smoke and a fire engine and a paramedic unit were dispatched to go to the smoke. These vehicles were the first rescuers on the scene and arrived just three minutes, forty seconds after the initial explosion. They immediately sent for the departments heavy urban rescue team. Ultimately, 125 firefighters in 34 vehicles, 52 police officers, multiple private ambulances and the American Red Cross all helped at the emergency, which was classed by the fire service as a five-alarm emergency.[1]
External links
References
- ^ a b c A hint of trouble, then tragedy Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports from 12/6/2006
- ^ Were Falk workers told to evacuate? Order to get out was limited, company says Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports from 12/7/2006
- ^ Pocket of propane found under asphalt at Falk site Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports from 12/8/2006