South Carolina Health Products Plant Explosion Sends Workers Home

May 1, 2006

A dust explosion at a Fort Mill, South Carolina plant injured two people early Tuesday morning.

The incident happened around 3:30a.m., at Leiner Health Products on Crestmont Drive. The company makes health products, vitamins and pain relievers.

Investigators said that workers were in a large two-story mixing room, where they were mixing ingredients for ibuprofen. They said it's possible that one of the mixing machines created a spark and ignited some of the powder in the room, and caused one of the ceilings and back wall to blow out.

Officials said the wall is designed to do that in the event of an explosion.

One of the injured workers had minor face burns and was taken to the Carolinas Medical Center in Pineville. Other workers were evacuated and sent home, said plant officials.

Damages caused by the blast are estimated at $1 million.