Industrial facility blast leaves man seriously hurt

NESHANNOCK, Pa. — An explosion at the International Specialty Alloys industrial facility at 599 Northgate Circle caused one serious injury and three minor injuries, the fire department said.

The seriously injured employee was flown to a Pittsburgh hospital. No names or conditions were available.

ISA is a producer of master alloys used in the aerospace, superalloy and computer industry. It uses, among other processes, specialty atmosphere heat treatment furnaces to provide a full range of products to many industries worldwide, according to its Web site.

Damage is estimated at $500,000 and is expected to increase once safety and plant personnel can enter the area for a more in-depth investigation, the fire department said.

The cause of the explosion at 9:34 a.m. Wednesday is under investigation but appears to be accidental, the fire department said. The material involved was likely a combination of aluminum powder and niobium oxide, both of which are used in the ISA manufacturing process.

The brief fire that occurred at the time of the explosion was actually extinguished by the explosion itself. The building did suffer significant structural damage and was evacuated and will stay evacuated until engineers survey the damage and recommend a course of action.

The explosion was felt and heard up to two miles away.

The Neshannock Fire Department was assisted by the Mahoning Fire Department. Pennsylvania State Police, Neshannock Police Department, Lawrence County Department of Public Safety and medical personnel from Noga Ambulance and Medevac Ambulance Service.