GM's stamping plant from Marion, Indiana was the scene of an unfortunate accident on Tuesday, when a chemical explosion fatally wounded a contractor and injured eight other people. Out of the latter, five people have been rushed to Marion General Hospital, while the other three declined to receive medical attention.
Grant County coroner Stephen Dorsey identified the man killed to be James L. Gibson. It's still not certain what triggered the blast, but Marion Fire Department chief Paul David says it involves a chlorine dioxide tank that continued spilling even after the detonation.
After the unfortunate moment occurred, a hazardous materials team managed to contain the spill, while local firefighters rushed to rinse the skin of everyone that came into contact with the chemical. When inhaled, chlorine dioxide causes respiratory problems and irritates the skin and eyes of people that came in contact with it.
Late Tuesday evening, General Motors issued a statement that reads "Our condolences and deepest sympathies go to our team member’s family and colleagues. The employees who were under observation at the hospital have been released" and "an investigation of the incident is under way."
GM's Marion Metal Center specializes in making stampings for General Motors assembly plants nationwide. According to the Indiana Department of Labor, the plant hasn't had any safety violations in the last five years.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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