P.M. BRIEFING : Aluminum Blast Rips Factory
An aluminum furnace at a wheel manufacturing plant exploded this morning, spewing molten metal around a room and injuring 16 workers, authorities said.
One worker was in critical condition after the blast at the Western Wheels plant, which manufactures aluminum wheels for cars.
Huntington Fire Marshal John Kaiser said the furnace blew up shortly after midnight. The blast spewed hot aluminum around the inside of a furnace room and blew a hole in one wall of the plant. John Alamo, a worker inside the plant, said the explosion shook the plant and set off a huge fireball.
There was no immediate estimate of damage, and the cause of the blast was not immediately determined.
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.
