Two workers dead in accident at Wichita business
By KSN TV Published: June 30, 2016, 12:16 pm Updated: July 1, 2016, 10:02 am
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Two men who were working for a contractor at OxyChem were killed in an industrial accident in the 6200 block of South Ridge Road. Officials say there was a failure in equipment, and two workers fell from a bucket truck owned by the contractor.
“First responders were on scene within five minutes and EMS was on scene shortly thereafter, but both men were pronounced dead at the scene,” said Lt Lin Dehning, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department.
Officials have not yet released the identities of the victims.
“We’re in the preliminary stages of the investigation, I will say this is being looked by not only the sheriff’s office, but also Oxy Chemicals, and the contractor all in conjunction with each-other,” added Dehning.
Dehning said investigators don’t consider the investigation into the deaths of the two workers a criminal investigation.
“The Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with Oxy and the contractor to determine exactly what happened,” Dehning said. “Like I said right now, we don’t have any
indication that it is anything more than an industrial accident.”
According to the plant’s website, OxyChem Wichita manufactures a number of chemicals, including sodium chlorite, chlorine, sodium hydroxide, hydrogen chloride and others.
Oxy Chemical Corporation Communications and Public Affairs Director Eric Moses issued the following statement late Thursday afternoon:
“Regrettably, two contractors lost their lives after an incident involving a failure of the contractor’s equipment. Our thoughts go out to the workers’ families and colleagues. The incident did not involve any chemical release and an investigation is underway.”
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