Photo Story: Blast Sends Tank Through Wall of Fla. Plant

Sept. 13, 2014
A large boiler tank, weighing 65,000 pounds was found propelled through a concrete wall and landed over 100 feet away.

A 65,000-pound tank exploded through a wall at a Lakeland packaging facility on Sept. 2. 

The Lakeland Fire Department responded to a report of an explosion at Whitlock Packaging Corporation at 7:45 a.m. Initial reports indicated that an explosion occurred with two employees trapped.

Whitlock Packaging Inc. is a large industrial facility that packages and bottles non-carbonated drinks for retail distribution and the plant was occupied by 90 employees during the time,

Lakeland fire crews arrived with eight front line apparatus and additional command staff, totaling 30 personnel.

A large boiler tank, weighing 65,000 pounds, was found propelled through a concrete building, landing over 100 feet away. The vessel landed on top of an inactive railroad, displacing 30 feet of track and tie as it landed, falling just short of a busy highway.

The boiler was supplied with a 4-inch natural gas line that was secured by fire personnel. Additionally, three pressurized boilers located in the building sustained heavy damage during the event.

The plant was evacuated and traffic stopped on a local highway as crews waited for the vessels to cool.

No injuries were sustained and all plant employees were accounted for. The cause of the incident is currently under investigation.

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