An explosion and fire at an Ohio metal foundry has left one maintenance worker dead and 13 injured. The incident occurred at the I. Schumann & Co. facility in Oakwood Village. According to the Associated Press, the deceased worker, Steven Mullins, had been with the company for almost 30 years. News 5 Cleveland is reporting that although fire officials have not determined the cause of the explosion, it appears as though the “blast originated at or near a kettle-like piece of equipment at the foundry, which holds molten metals before being poured into molds.”
Cleveland.com is reporting that I. Schumann & Co. had been cited several times over the past few years for workplace safety violations. One incident occurred in 2019 when a worker suffered third-degree burns after molten metal spilled onto the worker’s overalls. Two other incidents occurred in 2022, and they are still under investigation.
19 News discovered that the company had received a letter from the Ohio EPA notifying them of 11 violations, which included the unlawful storage and disposal of hazardous waste. Within a month, I. Schumann & Co. said that nine of the violations had been fixed.