An explosion at a hardwood flooring plant in Galax, Va., was “heard throughout the surrounding area,” around 8:15 p.m. Oct. 2, according to the Galax Fire Department.
Units arrived on the scene at Turman Hardwood Flooring to find a sawdust elevator with “a small amount of fire” and a fire in the machine feeding the system. Firefighters worked to ensure the fire did not spread to the other silos, and the site was cleared in an hour and a half. There were no injuries reported from the blast or the fire.
Galax Fire Department
“The safety features installed by this proactive industry allowed for the force of the sawdust blast to be directed upward instead of laterally, where the damage and resulting fire would have been much more serious,” the fire department stated.
Turman Hardwood Flooring could not be immediately reached for comment.
