Posted: Thursday, August 20, 2015
By Nicole Smith Staff Writer
Woodward, OKLAHOMA
Three employees of Deepwater Chemicals were injured in an explosion around 10:50 p.m. on Tuesday night inside of a processing vessel on the plant located west of Woodward.
Deepwater Chemicals is a manufacturing company specializing in fine iodine derivatives, according to the company's website.
The injured employees were immediately given first aid by other employees, the plant's established safety procedures were then implemented and the Woodward Fire Department and the Woodward EMS were notified, according to a press release from the company.
The injured were given medical care at a nearby hospital (AllianceHealth Woodward) and held overnight as a precaution, the release added, though all have now been discharged.
A fire report from the Woodward Fire Department stated that the alarm time was 10:53 p.m. at the station and firefighters arrived minutes later on the scene at 11:02 p.m.
"We had six vehicles and nine people on scene," Woodward Assistant Chief Todd Finley said. "We always send the whole staff when there's chemicals despite the size because we want all of our resources available."
According to the fire report, a reaction occurred when employees poured red phosphorous - a reactive chemical commonly used on the strike plates of matchbooks - into a reactor at the plant.
"Red phosphorous continues to burn as long as there is oxygen," Finley said. "If you put it in your hand and covered it with the other, it would still burn."
Finley said the fire was easily extinguished within 30 minutes of the department's arrival on scene and was able to be contained to the area of origin.
Deepwater Chemicals, Inc. a subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corp, has long been a source of fine iodine derivatives to domestic and foreign customers.