Local News in Brief : Foundry Blast Injures 4
An apparent malfunction in equipment at a steel foundry south of downtown Los Angeles triggered a steam explosion Thursday that injured four workers, including two who suffered severe burns, authorities said.
City Fire Department spokesman Jim Wells said the workers at the Commercial Iron Works plant at 2424 E. Porter St. sustained burns over their hands, arms and face.
Three of the victims were taken to County-USC Medical Center while the fourth man was treated at White Memorial Hospital.
Shirley Johnson, a secretary at the company, said steel heated to “super-hot” temperatures came into contact with water, triggering a “steam reaction like an explosion.”
The plant manufactures steel products by pouring molten metals into molds and casts.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
