Marysville, Mich.-Emergency responders had the additional problem of anhydrous ammonia when dealing with the explosions and resulting fire that hit a welding supply company here early last Monday. That was one of the reasons why two schools and several nearby homes were evacuated and other residents were advised to stay inside because of the threat of ammonia fumes and the possibility of debris from the fire scene. One worker at South Park Welding Supply was injured after the initial blast at South Park Welding Supply Inc. at about 8:30 a.m., followed by multiple explosions that triggered a fire. South Park was back in business the next day, but investigators were still looking for the cause. The injured worker was removing a valve from an acetylene tank in one of the buildings when the first explosion occurred. He was taken to the hospital, where he was reported in good condition. Fire Chief Tom Konik told Green Markets that there was about 350 pounds of anhydrous ammonia in three 150-pound cylinders in the building. “They weren’t the cause, of course,” Konik reported, “but they definitely added to our concerns. We were worried about the toxic release more than the explosion.” Konik said, however, that fire crews closely monitored the situation and found that none of the fumes had left the building. He said a search afterwards found two of the three cylinders, and that both had been ruptured.
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