Introduction
The Kleen Energy Explosion that took place in last year in Middleton, Connecticut. The accident took place at the Kleen Energy System power station located in Middleton, Connecticut (Nick para. 3). The total death toll from this blast was 6, with five people dying at the scene of the accident and another one dying at the hospital. In addition, at least fifty people are reported to have been injured during the explosion (McFadden para. 5).
What caused the Kleen Energy Explosion?
According to reliable authorities, the explosion was not caused by international crime or terrorism. A statement issued by a neighbour of the plant reads that the explosion could have been caused by natural gas stored at the facility (Aeppel 3).
The local fire marshal was convinced that the explosion may have been trigged by a propane device. On the other hand, the Connecticut AFL-CIO disagrees with this explanation, and he argues that the explosion could have been the result of an inadvertent spark occasioned by the explosion, as opposed to an open flame (Aeppel 3).
Reaction and follow-up to the explosion
Those people who were injured by the explosion received treatment at local hospitals. There were nearly 20 ambulances at the scene of the accident to help transfer the injured people to the hospital. Emergency personnel also arrived at the scene of the accident shortly after the blast, and they even used helicopters to airlift the injured patients to hospital.
In addition, the search crew also came with their sniffer dogs, and they scoured the rubble in search of victims to the accident and dead bodies as well (Los Angeles Times 2). Reporters who had arrived at the scene of the accident had to be turned away by rescue officials for fear that hazardous materials might have leaked.
In addition to the Joint Terrorism Task Force that was deployed at the site of the explosion, officials from the Chemical Safety Board also arrived to carry out their investigations. In February, 2011, construction work to the destroyed facility was completed. Plans are also underway to construct a memorial park in honor of the people who were either injured or died due to the explosion.
Investigation into the explosion
A day after the explosion occurred, agencies at the state, federal, and local levels began investigations to determine the cause. The investigations were expected to examine if insufficient safety protocol or human errors was to blame for this explosion.
The local fire marshal also affirmed that the investigation would try to check whether workers had been evacuated prior to the purging of the gas line, if electricity at the area had been cut off before the explosion, and whether there were any ignition materials at the area during the explosion (Buettner 3).
Conclusion
The Kleen energy explosion in Middleton, Connecticut is a reminder that we need to be prepared to deal with disasters whenever they occur. For example, we need to ensure that there are no ignitions in the either the industries or the workplace that may spark off an explosion.
In addition, if we cannot mitigate such an explosion, the workplace should be constructed in such a manner as to reduce the number of casualties as much as possible. In addition, those injured should receive quick medical attention and we should also try to evacuate survivors to avoid more casualties.
Works Cited
Aeppel, Tim. Deadly blast hits Connecticut Plant. The Wall Street Journal, 2010. Web.
Buettner, Russ. $ 16.6 million in Fines after fatal blast at a Connecticut plant. The New York Times, 2010. Web.
Los Angeles Times. Official says fewer than 50 hurt in Conn.power plant explosion; number of deaths is unknown. Los Angeles Times, 2010. Web.
McFadden, Robert. Casualties expected from Connecticut Explosion. The New York Times, 2010. Web.
Nick, Allen. Connecticut gas explosion at power plant leaves up to 50 dead. The Telegraph, 2010. Web.