Washington Plant Explosion Injures Four Workers, Leads to Evacuation of 200 Homes Nearby

An explosion at a Washington plant left four workers injured and led to the evacuation of nearly 200 people from houses nearby.

The Associated Press reported on Monday that a natural gas processing plant in Plymouth was hit by a huge blast at about 8:20 in the morning on Monday. The explosion sent a cloud of thick black fumes into the air.

A liquefied natural gas storage tank was punctured by the explosion at the Williams Northwest Pipeline plant, located near the Washington-Oregon border.

According to Sheriff Steven Keane in Benton County, some of the natural gas streamed into a containment area, then vaporized into the air. The Associated Press reported that it was a trace amount of oil.

"I think if one of those huge tanks had exploded, it might have been a different story," Keane told AP.

A small fire that occurred after the blast was promptly put out.

"I think they are working on the concern that the gas that spilled out into the containment area is not going to be a threat to ignite in case there is a spark or something," Keane stated.

Three of the four employees who sustained wounds were immediately transferred to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston, Ore. The fourth victim received medical treatment on-site.

Spokesperson Mark Ettesvold said the three employees who were hospitalized didn't appear to be seriously injured.

Resident Cindi Stefani said she felt the blast in her home across the Columbia River.

She told the Associated Press that she felt a tremor when the explosion occurred.

"It was just a very loud boom," she recounted. "I looked across the river and saw a giant mushroom cloud and flames at least a couple hundred feet high. At that point we were pretty scared. I was thinking, 'We need to get out of here.'"

Law enforcement officials knocked on doors of residences within a 2-mile radius, alerting homeowners that an evacuation was in progress. Shuttle buses transported citizens who didn't have immediate access to automobiles of their own, AP reported.

The cause of the explosion and the extent of the damage have not yet been confirmed.