UPDATE: 1 Dead, 4 Injured After Explosion at Army Ammunition Plant
OutdoorHub Reporters 04.12.17
UPDATE: An explosion at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant, just east of Kansas City, Missouri, killed one employee and left four others injured, according to the U.S. Army.
The blast reportedly occurred in a building where chemicals are mixed. The building was cleared and declared safe, allowing investigators to begin identifying what caused the explosion.
CBS News reports, Lt. Col. Eric Dennis, commander of the plant in Independence, and Jim Nickles, a vice president with Orbital ATK, a private contractor that manages the plant, said at a news conference all the nearly 1,800 employees were sent home after Tuesday’s explosion. They declined to release any further information on the victim or any other details at this time.
“Making ammunition is dangerous work and our employees risk their lives to protect the men and women in uniform,” Dennis said. “This is the sacrifice they make to support our country and I am humbled by the ultimate sacrifice this employee made today.”
Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and workers at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant (1/2)
— Senator Roy Blunt (@RoyBlunt) April 11, 2017
For decades, the workforce at the Lake City Army Ammunition Plant has provided support to those who defend our nation (2/2)
— Senator Roy Blunt (@RoyBlunt) April 11, 2017
The 77-year-old plant sits on a property with more than 400 other buildings and nine warehouses. The plant makes small-caliber ammunition, tests its reliability, and also operates the NATO test center.
BREAKING: ATF is on the scene to investigate the cause of the deadly #LakeCity @USArmy ammo plant explosion in MO. We send our condolences.
— ATF HQ (@ATFHQ) April 11, 2017
