2006 Falk Corporation explosion

The 2006 Milwaukee explosion refers to the explosion of a 10,000 gallon propane tank at the Falk Corporation in the industrial Menomonee River Valley neighborhood of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, on December 6 2006. 47 people were injured and at least three were killed. Cars were reportedly flipped through the air and debris scattered over several blocks. The disaster is being investigated.

Falk Corporation

Further information: Falk Corporation

The Falk Corporation is a company that manufactures large industrial gears, couplings, chains, bearings and other industrial components and equipment. It is based in Menomonee River Valley, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The complex there is over 61 acres, and has 1.5 million square feet of buildings. 600 people were inside the complex at the time of the explosion. The building that exploded was located in one corner of the complex.

The building that housed the propane tanks was two separate structures joined together. One of the buildings was used as a warehouse for storing components used in the manufacturing process, and was called the Annex. The other building, called the 2-2 building, was a maintenance facility. The two building between them housed a total of six propane tanks.

Explosion and emergency response

Before the explosion, most of the workers had evacuated the building. Police Chief Nannette Hegerty stated that an evacuation had begun 10 to 14 minutes before the explosion. According to reports by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, a Falk spokeswoman stated that that the evacuation was limited to the area near a propane leak. The Journal's report also stated that a man said that he tasted gas about thirty minutes before the explosion occurred. Another worker reported a 30,000 gallon propane tank leaking, and shut the tank off and issued a warning, but could still smell the gas. The Journal interviewed six employees that they were never formally evacuated because it would have lead them through the Annex building.

At 8:07 A.M. Central time, approximately seven minutes after the start of the shift, a 10,000 gallon propane tank located in the dual building exploded. The explosion happened while workers were performing a test of the systems used to switch from natural gas to propane for heating the plant. The source of the blast is still being investigated, but experts say it could have been a pipe below the building.

The explosion killed 3 people and injured 47. Debris landed several blocks away from the site of the explosion. Several cars were hurled through the air by the force of the blast. The explosion caused widespread damage to an area approximately the size of two football fields. The Department of Neighborhood Services later carried out an inspection of the site; they discovered that buildings within a radius of aproximatly 500 feet had sustained heavy damage, such as torn-off roofs and collapsed walls.

The nearest fire station was just six blocks away. Firefighters were initially alerted by the force of the explosion buckling the fire station door. Originally it was thought that a car had struck the fire station, but when firefighters went outside, they quickly realized this was not the case. One of the drivers soon spotted smoke and a fire engine and a paramedic unit were dispatched to go to the smoke. These vehicles were the first rescuers on the scene and arrived just three minutes, forty seconds after the initial explosion. They immediately sent for the departments heavy urban rescue team. Ultimately, 125 firefighters in 34 vehicles, 52 police officers, multiple private ambulances and the American Red Cross all helped at the emergency, which was classed by the fire service as a five-alarm emergency.

It was later discovered that the people who were killed died while attempting to repair the leak.

Investigation

A full inestigation was launched into the accident by several government agencies. The investigation determined that the leak was initially discovered by employees of the contractor J.M. Brennan Inc., who helped maintain plumbing, heating, air conditioning and ventilation equipment at the plant. These six employees noticed the leak as Falk employees started the propane system up, which the factory uses as a backup fuel supply when natural gas isn't available, and alerted other workers to the problem. It was also thought the leak came from an underground pipe that ran from propane tanks to mixers, which convert the liquid propane into gaseous form, so that it is in a form usable by the boilers. This was backed up by the discovery of a small pocket of gas trapped bellow asphalt directly bellow the Annex building. Pressure testing of the pipe has since confirmed it had two separate leaks, metallurgists are presently examining the damaged sections of pipeline to determine why they failed. Falk's evacuation procedure will also feature prominently in the investigation.

Legal action

Although workers compensation laws deny workers the right to sue their employer, it is possible for them to sue a related third party. Within a week of the explosion Williams Bailey, a law firm based in Houston, Texas, placed half-page advertisements in a local newspaper. The adverts read "Were you seriously injured in last week's explosion?", and directed potential clients to the company website. The advert also claims that the firm has extensive experience in explosion-related cases. Fran Deisinger, director of the Milwaukee Bar Association, said of the ad "It's a little disconcerting because it's such a terrible situation here that I think it probably rubs everybody a little wrong,", adding that although he believed the ad to be in poor taste, it didn't breach any rules for lawyer advertising. Although it is unclear whether any workers contacted Williams Bailey, it is known that one injured man, and the family of one of the deceased, have hired personal injury lawyer Bob Habush to represent them. He said he has hired experts and asked for permission to tour the scene.

Aftermath

By January 10, all 750 Falk Corporation employees had returned to work. The company intends to rebuild on the site.

External links

• Falk Corporation
• Statement issued by Rexnord in the immediate aftermath of the explosion