CHESTER, S.C. (AP) — A blaze at a fireworks plant triggered an explosion that could be felt 10 miles away, killing one worker and injuring three others.
The Thursday explosion at Melrose South Pyrotechnics spewed debris and pyrotechnics 100 yards, igniting a nearby office building and setting off several grass fires, York County Emergency Management Director Cotton Howell said.
"There was one small explosion, then we heard one hell of an explosion," said Jason Waller, who was doing carpentry work on a house across the street when the blast occurred. "All of a sudden, kaboom, kaboom!"
The blast knocked one of the carpenters off his ladder and blew a window out of the house, Waller said.
The fire started in a packaging building at Melrose South Pyrotechnics and ignited stored fireworks, said Bob Kerns, director of sales at Melrose headquarters in Kingsbury, Ind. The cause of the fire that led to the explosion was not known.
James Ringer, 24, died after the explosion. Another employee was hospitalized in good condition Thursday and two others received minor injuries.