3 people injured in explosion at aluminum plant

COLUMBIANA, Ohio (WKBN) – First responders were at the scene of an explosion at Zarbana Aluminum Extrusion in Columbiana on Thursday night.

First News has learned that three employees were injured and are being treated for burns.

According to the Columbiana Second Assistant Fire Chief Jason Weiry, two were taken to nearby hospitals by ambulance. The other was taken by medical helicopter to Pittsburgh.

The call came in to dispatch at 7:52 p.m. Thursday and a large response of firefighters, police, and EMS arrived at Zarbana Aluminum Extrusions on Esterly Drive off Route 344 between Columbiana and Leetonia.

“They were pouring aluminum billet out of the forge into the mold and there was some type of explosion. We’re not sure what it was and there were a couple of employees that were injured in the process of the pour,” said Weiry.

According to firefighters, the explosion happened in one section of the building where four people were working. There were 15 total employees present in the building at the time of the explosion.

The Columbiana Fire Department said there is only minor damage to the inside of the building.

WKBN reached out to the company but did not yet hear back.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is responding to the scene.

Check back here for updates.

Lindsey Watson, Hanna Erdmann and TJ Renninger contributed to this report.

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