Firefighters Hurt in Wis. Chemical Blast

March 17, 2010
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. --  A chemical explosion injured 30 people at the Olympia Resort in Oconomowoc Tuesday morning. The explosion occurred in a laundry facility at the resort just west of Highway 67.

OCONOMOWOC, Wis. --

A chemical explosion injured 30 people at the Olympia Resort in Oconomowoc Tuesday morning.

The explosion occurred in a laundry facility at the resort just west of Highway 67.

Investigators said an employee accidentally mixed two chemicals -- an acid and a chlorine -- into one container.

The 37-year-old woman was taken to a local hospital with burns and broken bones, but is said to be in good condition.

Thirty others were treated and released from the hospital, including two firefighters who were exposed to the chemicals.

"The containers are very well labeled. They're labeled on the sides and tops and they're different color containers. So how they happened to pour the wrong one -- and again we're speculating that's what happened -- but how they happened to pour the empty one into a full one and it being the wrong products to mix, we don't know how that happened," said Nasco Co.'s Tony Kessler.

None of the injured was a guest at the resort.

OSHA is helping in the investigation.

Copyright 2010 by WISN.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Voice Your Opinion!

To join the conversation, and become an exclusive member of Firehouse, create an account today!