MEC&F Expert Engineers : Federal officials are investigating a fatal fire at a South Dakota ethanol plant

Wednesday, June 1, 2016

Federal officials are investigating a fatal fire at a South Dakota ethanol plant


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HUDSON, South Dakota — Federal workplace safety officials are investigating a fatal fire at a South Dakota ethanol plant.

One person was killed and another injured in the May 6 fire at a POET Biorefining plant south of Hudson.

The cause of the fire hasn't been determined, but the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says the worker who died was welding inside a tank at the time. The welder was flown to a Minnesota burn hospital, where he died. The other worker was treated at a hospital and released.

The Argus Leader newspaper reports (http://argusne.ws/1TK0O4w ) that both contractors were employed by Bismarck, North Dakota-based Bilfinger Westcon Industries. Neither employee's name has been released.

POET Biorefining issued a statement expressing condolences to family, friends and co-workers.