2 Missing in Massive Blast at Ford Plant Substation

A massive explosion in a power substation today ripped gaping holes in an employee parking lot and cut power at Ford Motor Co.’s huge Rouge Plant, and firemen poked through debris for two missing workers.

Two other people in the parking lot were slightly injured in the blast that temporarily shut down much of the facility, Ford spokesman Bill Carroll said.

Thousands of afternoon and midnight workers were told not to report for their shifts.

The two missing workers, employed by Doetsch Industrial Services Co. of Detroit, were working in the immediate area of the underground blast, which occurred at 6:20 a.m. EDT.

Steam Power for Plant

The substation supplies steam power and compressed air to the massive complex, which produces steel, glass and stampings for the auto maker.

“They are still missing, and firemen are sifting through the rubble,” Carroll said.

The cause of the blast, which left holes about 20 feet across in the parking lot and overturned several cars, is under investigation, Carroll said.

Five or six Ford employees were in the above-ground substation when the blast occurred but were unhurt, Carroll said.

“It sent shock waves (through sewer tunnels) and vented itself through these tunnels and into a parking lot,” he said.

Ford’s steel and car assembly operations at the complex continued until mid-morning before being shut down because of the lack of power, idling the entire Rouge complex and as many as 16,000 workers on the first shift.

Workers at Dearborn Assembly, Dearborn Stamping and the fabrication operations at Dearborn Glass--all part of the Rouge complex--were told not to report to work for their afternoon shifts. Midnight shift workers at Dearborn Stamping and Dearborn Glass also were told not to report.

Ford said it expects to resume full operations at the complex Tuesday.

“For the moment, our No. 1 priority is to find out what caused the accident and to locate the two missing people,” said Alexander J. Trotman, who will become executive vice president for Ford’s North American operations on May 1.

Trotman said the divers were looking for the missing men in 7- to 8-feet high tunnels connecting two power substations. Crews were attempting to pump 4 to 6 feet of water from the tunnels.