Thursday, February 26, 2015

MANUFACTURING EXPLOSION AT ALTEX TECHNOLOGIES CORP., FORCES EVACUATION OF SUNNYVALE BUILDING; 2 INJURED





FEBRUARY 26, 2015

SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA (CBS SF)

A manufacturing explosion injured two workers and forced the shutdown of a business and a street in Sunnyvale Thursday afternoon. 

Sunnyvale Public Safety responded to the 200 block of Sobrante St. just before 2:00 p.m. There was an explosion in a manufacturing area of a business there. The business uses hazardous materials as part of its manufacturing process. 

From Chopper 5, two men could be seen holding ice packs to their heads at the scene as fire crews pulled out hazmat suits and other containment gear nearby.
A cluster of about a dozen other civilians could be seen waiting on the curb nearby as fire officials huddled up behind an informal command center assessing the situation.

Any hazardous materials have been isolated to the business and there is no danger to the public, public safety officials said.


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UPDATE

FEBRUARY 26, 2015

SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA (CBS SF)

Fire and hazardous-materials crews were called to 1:33 p.m. to Altex Technologies Corporation, in the 200 block of Sobrante. Authorities said the facility was evacuated, and two employees were treated at the scene for minor injuries. 

Employees of an adjacent business reported hearing an explosion before the emergency call. 

Two Altex employees were working in a lab, using hydrogen, when an explosion occurred, according to the Sunnyvale DPS. They suffered minor burns to the face, and after being treated at the scene, were transported to Valley Medical Center in San Jose. 



Sunnyvale Fire Department personnel respond to a call of an explosion that injured two people at Altex Technology on Sobrante Way in Sunnyvale, Calif., on Thursday, Feb. 26, 2015.

The building, which includes at least one other tenant, was evacuated, but after entering the building, hazardous materials crews determined the building was safe. Other tenants were able to return after about 90 minutes; Altex employees waited for another inspection of their portion of the building. 

The incident was confined to the lab, and there was no hazard to the general public, according to Sunnyvale officials.

Police cordoned off Sobrante, which is just south of Central Expressway west of North Mathilda Avenue. The road reopened around 4 p.m. 

Altex Technologies is a 15,000-square-foot facility housing testing and equipment involving heat and power systems and biomass. On its website, the company states, "Special test facilities are available to support heat exchanger, fuel cell and microturbine systems, biomass densification and conversion to liquid fuels and low emissions burners."