2 injured in explosion and fire at Illinois Chemical plant

An explosion at a Coogee Chemical factory in Ottowa, Illinois hospitalized two employees on April 21, local news media reported. The explosion took place shortly before 8 AM. According to a statement from the Ottawa Fire Department published on Facebook, initial investigations suggest the explosion may have occurred when employees were transferring magnesium into a storage container.

The explosion at the chemicals factory, owned by an Australian company, was considered a hazmat incident due to the nature of other chemicals on the site. Because magnesium is incompatible with water, the fire department said industrial dry chemical extinguishing agents were used to put the fire out. The company has suspended operations at the site pending the results of an investigation by the Illinois Occupational Safety & Health Administration.

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