(Sykesville, MD) – Maryland State Police were called this afternoon to the scene of an industrial accident in southern Carroll County that injured one employee and closed Liberty Road for about two hours.
The victim is identified only as a 27-year-old Baltimore man. His identity is being withheld pending notification of family.
Shortly after 2:00 p.m. today, Maryland State Police at the Westminster Barracks were called to Tobacco Tech Inc., 600 Liberty Road, Sykesville, for what was reported to be some type of an explosion. Troopers arrived and met personnel who had responded from the Sykesville Volunteer Fire Department.
The preliminary investigation revealed the victim was on his way to check a large tank in which methylene chloride was boiling as part of the process to make tobacco flavoring. When the employee was approximately 30-40 feet from the tank, pressure from the tank was released, apparently causing the lid to blow off. Fluid and vapors were expelled from the tank.
The employee apparently turned to run and as he was leaving the area, fell and struck his face on the concrete floor. The plant manager and another employee pulled him from the room and moved him outside. Responding emergency personnel treated the victim at the scene. He was flown by Maryland State Police helicopter, Trooper 1, to the Shock Trauma Center in Baltimore.
No one else was injured in the incident. Hazmat personnel washed down two other employees as a decontamination precaution.
As a safety precaution, responding troopers, with the assistance of State Highway Administration personnel and Carroll County sheriff’s deputies, closed Liberty Road at White Rock Road and Johnsville Road and diverted traffic around the scene. The roadway was reopened shortly before 4:00 p.m.
With the provision of a bus by the Carroll County Board of Education, troopers evacuated 55 children from the All About Kids Learning Center, located across the street from the scene. Occupants at the Athens Health Club, also located across the street, were encouraged to leave the area. The children were transported out of the immediate area and returned to the day care center at about 3:45 p.m.
Other departments that responded to assist included the Maryland Department of the Environment, the Maryland Office of the State Fire Marshal, and OSHA. The investigation is continuing.
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As a safety precaution, responding troopers, with the assistance of State Highway Administration personnel and Carroll County sheriff’s deputies, closed Liberty Road at White Rock Road and Johnsville Road and diverted traffic around the scene. The roadway was reopened shortly before 4:00 p.m.With the provision of a bus by the Carroll County Board of Education, troopers evacuated 55 children from the All About Kids Learning Center, located across the street from the scene. Occupants at the Athens Health Club, also located across the street, were encouraged to leave the area. The children were transported out of the immediate area and returned to the day care center at about 3:45 p.m.
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