Wednesday, March 11, 2015

EXPLOSIONS AND MASSIVE FIRE AT BRENT INDUSTRIES IN BRENT, ALABAMA; 1 WORKER KILLED









MARCH 16, 2015


BRENT, Ala. (WIAT) —

State fire marshal Ed Paulk says his crew has narrowed down the cause of the Brent Industries explosion enough to call it an “industrial accident.” Paulk says there is still a lot of work to be done.

Paulk says they have found a specific piece of equipment that is to blame for the explosion. To further their investigation, they will be working with mechanics that specialize in the particular piece of equipment to help determine what may have caused the blast.

Once all interested parties can get together, Paulk says they will recreate the explosion in a controlled environment to test their hypothesis. This process is expected to take a few weeks. The investigation was delayed last week while investigators waited for the scene to cool off.

On Monday, a memorial service and burial was held for the man who died in the blast, Keith Leverette. While family and friends cope with their loss, they say they are grateful that investigators are making strides to determine the cause of the explosion.

“We have to have patience. We have to let the people that do the investigation do their job. That’s not our lane. I feel like this investigation is going to take more than two or three days. The place is a total disaster so when they are finished, the truth will come out,” said Leverette’s brother, Charles.

Representatives with Brent Industries attended the memorial service but declined to give any comment.

Brent Industries, located on South Scottsville Road since 1977, employs about 30 people. It handles the manufacturing and reconditioning of wiping materials, safety wear, absorbents and filtration materials, according to the company’s website.
 

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MARCH 11, 2015

BRENT, AL (WBRC) 

A spokesperson for the Bibb County Sheriff's Office confirms an explosion at a business in Brent.

Authorities said the explosion happened around 1:55 p.m. at Brent Industries at 695 South Scottsville Road off of Highway 5.  Bibb County EMA Director Wayne Hayes said four fire departments have responded. He does not have an injury report at this time but said one person is unaccounted for.

Two people at nearby businesses reported to us that they see a lot of black smoke. One person at the post office reports the windows rattled at the time of the explosion.

The cause of the blast is unknown at this time.

Firefighters are being kept a safe distance away from the fire due to the possibility of more explosions. 
Source: www.myfoxal.com