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Driver seriously hurt in truck blast at Farrell plant
FARRELL, PA.
An American Air Liquide truck delivering liquid hydrogen to Duferco Farrell Corp. in Farrell, Pa., exploded Sunday night, seriously injuring the driver and endangering a portion of the Duferco plant.
Authorities were trying to determine what caused the explosion that occurred just before 7 p.m., when the driver of the tractor-trailer reportedly was attempting to transfer hydrogen to the storage tank.
Michael Hrycyk, vice president of Duferco human resources, said the driver, who was not identified, was taken to UPMC Horizon in Farrell for treatment and then transferred to St. Elizabeth Health Center in Youngstown. His injuries were not believed to be life-threatening, Hrycyk said.
All 10 Duferco employees working were accounted for, and none was injured. However, the plant was evacuated, and shifts were canceled until the situation, which Hrycyk said was “still in flux” about 9:30 p.m., was under control.
The truck delivering the hydrogen was still burning at that time near the No. 1 cold rolling area next to a 20-foot-high tank of liquid hydrogen.
He said firefighters and EMTs from the Sharon, Pa., and Farrell fire departments and Duferco safety officers were on the scene to control the fire and keep the hydrogen tank cool so it would not explode.
Also, Hrycyk said, experts from American Air Liquide are coming in as soon as possible to help with the situation.
Duferco is located at the former Sharon Steel Corp. at 15 Roemer Blvd. off Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.