Worker Burned as Door Blows Open at Plant

An electrical oven at an Anaheim electronic parts firm caught fire and blew open Friday afternoon, injuring an employee who was standing in front of it.

Pat Brand, 55, manufacturing manager of the Randon Division of Ametek Inc., 2905 E. Bluestar St., suffered first- and second-degree burns on his face, head and forearms in the accident, according to Jill Skinner of the Anaheim Fire Department.

Brand was treated at Martin Luther Hospital in Anaheim and later released.

Skinner said the explosion occurred about 2:30 p.m. as several employees were heat-treating parts in an electrical oven at the firm--a division of the Pennsylvania-based corporation that manufactures a variety of electronic components.

“The oven became too hot and the employees opened the door--I guess to cool it off,” Skinner said. “When they opened the door, they observed the material that parts were sitting on was on fire.”

Skinner said the employees grabbed a fire extinguisher and tried unsuccessfully to extinguish the flames, after which they slammed the oven door shut and called the Fire Department.

But before firefighters arrived, the door blew open, injuring Brand, officials said. “He realized the door was going to blow open,” Skinner said, but added that Brand didn’t have time to escape. He did, however, cover his face with his hands, minimizing injury, Skinner said.

Bruce Wilson, general manager of the firm that employs 80 people, said the incident is being investigated by fire officials.