A furnace explosion and fire at the R.H. Sheppard, Co. foundry in Hanover Friday night caused only minor injuries but left behind hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of damage, an official said.
The fire, at the business' complex along East Middle Street in the borough, started when molten metal from the foundry operation escaped from a furnace and came into contact with water, according to fire Chief Jan Cromer. The result was an explosion, he said, and a fire that brought out crews from around the area at approximately 6:45 p.m.
Cromer said four company workers were treated for minor smoke inhalation, adding no one was transported to the hospital.
The chief said the damage was likely "pretty high," estimating
the cost in the hundreds of thousands. It could be more, with lost productivity time, Cromer said.
"I would feel confident it could run up to $1 million," he said.
Area residents were out watching Friday night, and many noticed a strong aroma of chemicals in the air.
Cromer said the smell was from the molten iron, and assured the public there was no danger from fumes that were released during the event.
The chief said firefighters had to be careful battling the blaze, as misting the fire -- as opposed to dousing it with a larger amount of water -- could have caused another explosion. Crews handled the situation without incident, he said.
William E. Heiser, Sheppard's executive vice president and CFO, confirmed later Friday
night there was a fire around one of the electric furnaces. Heiser also confirmed there were only minor injuries. He declined to speculate on the specific amount of damage, or possible production issues going forward.
"It's way too early to evaluate it," he said. "It's just too soon to tell."
Copyright 2012 - The Evening Sun, Hanover, Pa.
McClatchy-Tribune News Service
