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."