A man burning old explosive agents was killed and a fellow worker seriously injured Friday in a blast felt by residents as far as 2 miles away, police said.
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The explosion left a hole about 15 feet across at the site of the fire, a few hundred yards from a Nitro-Chem plant, which manufactures explosives for mining companies, authorities said."They were burning some old explosive agents," said Jack Yost, supervising deputy for the St. Louis County Sheriff's Department. "According to (the company), it is the accepted practice for these agents. By themselves, they are supposed to be harmless until they are mixed."